Courage
by BVB Army 2 Forever
Summary: A lost life. A last breath. And a love that won't die. Blaine knows he has to stay strong, even if he wants to collapse, because after he lost one of his greatest loves, he can't let a pair of blue eyes shining with tears close.
1. Come What May

Author's note: So... this is Courage. Just so any new readers just finding this story know, this is a sequel! The first one is on my profile. Its title is Out. It's still in the editing progress, but I just got tired of editing and wanted to write this, so here it is! Okay, here's a freakishly long author's note where I talk a lot about all of my excuses, myself, my plans for this story, and my replies to my amazing readers who have been waiting for, like, months! First of all, just about this chapter, I've always had issues with writing honeymoons. I'm terrible at fluff and smut, and that's pretty much all a honeymoon is. This chapter is pretty much them just getting settled in and then having a serious conversation. I'm not sure if I like the last part that much, but whatever. The seriousness shouldn't last, but there are still some things that Kurt needs to know about what happened with Blaine during those ten months, because Blaine has obviously changed. It also includes baby!Klaine! Baby!Klaine. The cutest thing ever. I think I'm going to try to do a baby!Klaine memory in front of every chapter, but if you guys feel differently about them, I won't do that.

Excuse time! Over the past few months I've turned seventeen, gone on vacation, been violently sick to the point that it's painful to twitch my fingers, gotten into fights with my family (mostly my brother), and I've been dealing with this thing called OCD. Basically, I went down to NC to see my brother (who's in the Marines) and I had to share a hotel room with him (which meant no writing on vacation.) And he started saying things like "fucking tranny" and things got worse from there. And I have absolutely no idea about the sickness... I don't even know what it is. It's just really painful... so yeah. And, about the OCD, if I'm going to be honest, I've been dealing with the symptoms for about five years. I've always had it, but it's gotten worse. If you're wondering, I have two disorders called trichotillomania and dermatillomania, and a few other issues. I can't control them and I can't stop them and sometimes they can last for hours. I don't really like talking about them so that's all I'm going to say. And then I've been trying to read Fifty Shades of Grey (probably not a good idea before the honeymoon) but that kind of failed. My inner goddess was not doing the tango about those books... oh my. (Fifty Shades of Grey reference... I do not and will not ever talk like that.) -_-

Okay, so time to tell you guys about my new plan for this story. There will be five "books" total. Out, this one, and then my next one which will be about Archer and Hunter as teenagers. And then I'm planning two other, shorter stories, one about Everett and Keegan's love story, and then one completely from Karofsky's point of view. It'll probably be from right after he kills Everett to when he meets Blaine, but if you want me to go farther than that and show the kinds of things he did to Blaine to make him the way he is now, I could.

Before I reply to my amazing reviewers, I want to take a moment to mention Land of Stories 2. Chris makes me happy with everything he does. If anyone EVER finds out he's going on a book tour for that, tell me because it is my dream to meet him. Speaking of meeting people... I did not meet Darren Criss but I saw him in concert :O It was the most beautiful night of my life and I never wanted it to end. He started singing Teenage Dream and it was the most emotional moment ever. He was PERFECT. Apparently my friend recorded my reaction to him walking on stage because it was so funny. I think I screamed and cried a little but it was just... Darren. And the weekend after that she took me to Wicked and one of the munchkins sounded exactly like Chris and Fiyero was gorgeous. Ohmygosh. #Lucky

Okay, guys, thanks for the input on my questions and giving me ideas. My lovely and adorable picture was sent to me by one of my amazing readers, Klainer-C. I will keep Santana around, by request, and I'm using the Christmas episode (I think from season three?) house as the honeymoon house inspiration!

Review reply time! I've missed replying to these :')

kathrynevie21: I've been excited to write this! Oh my gosh, I've missed making new material :) But, okay, I've been thinking about your review and I actually have no idea what all of the abuse scenes are going to be. I do know (as of now) that there will be child rape, beating, threats of drowning, cutting with a knife (like what happened to Kurt except probably worse), burning, chains, whips, and locking in a cage. It all sounds really bad but for some reason angst like that is in my writing comfort zone. I'll try to keep it pretty downplayed in this book (because the victim is still a child in this one) but it will probably get worse in my next book. I'm really sorry that you were hurt as a child. No one deserves that, especially someone as amazing as you :) And there will be more Keegan and the Warblers in this book! Keegan is my love, so I will never get rid of him :P and the Warblers are also mine (and Blaine's) loves.

Klaine forever and ever 3: Thanks! I really like Blaine thinking of Kurt as his beautiful thing. Blaine's so cute :P

ObsessiveGleeSyndrome: THE SEQUEL. Who would have ever thought it could come? I didn't. I thought my editing would last forever (and it's still going on) but I just got so tired of it that I wrote this instead :P Ohmygosh. I've missed your birthday, McFly, and a dance competition. First of all, happy really really really belated birthday! And how were McFly and the dance competition? I bet McFly was perfect, but did you win? Btw, I love that you're my #NumberOneFan! And, ohmygosh, Out puns. Me and my beta love those! We're all so Out of style :P

deshaunwalker: I actually just wrote this about five hours ago :P I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing with this story!

KlainesSecretChild: Thank you so much! :D

alwaysariyana: Thanks for the encouragement. This has been one of the hardest decisions to make with this story. I'm glad you think it's actually nice to keep writing about him :)

P.S. Cory is still on my mind. I miss him a lot and hope everyone is doing okay. He was a great person and deserved to be one of the main stars on Glee :)

* * *

_A pair of bright, blue eyes peeked up at Blaine from over the edge of a story, shimmering, beautiful eyes that crinkled with a hidden smile. Blaine slowly lifted his head from his lunch, meeting the blue gaze. The pretty eyes widened, and then they ducked behind the book again. He heard a melodic giggle, so high pitched and musical that it sounded like a bell ringing. Wrinkling his nose as he wondered what was so funny, he got to his knees, trying to get a better look._

_After a few seconds, the playful eyes appeared over the top of the book, and then the little boy giggled again. Blaine jerked away, not sure if he was what was so humorous or if he had missed a joke. His curiosity got the best of him, and he hesitantly turned his gaze to where the blue eyes once were. But, to his surprise, they were gone._

_Looking around for the boy, Blaine fell backwards on his butt when he saw him only a few inches away. He was looking at Blaine with a very gentle expression, but an amused one. Blaine thought he was pretty, small and fragile, skin as white as snow. He had the pinkest, plumpest lips, and the roundest, bluest eyes. He had a pink bow in his dark blond hair, and a pink dress was wrapped around his tiny body._

_Suddenly, he scooted a little closer, making Blaine back away. Plopping onto his bottom, the little boy lifted his hand to his mouth and giggled behind his fingers. "Aren't you going to say hello?"_

_Blaine was shocked by his voice, the same sweetness to it as his laugh. He didn't say anything for a few seconds, so the little boy tilted his head, a piece of blond hair falling across his forehead. "Hello."_

_Blaine still didn't know what to say, and he could feel himself getting redder in his cheeks as the little boy moved so close to him that their knees brushed. Now that he was closer Blaine could see the shade of blue of his eyes, so light and glittery._

_The little boy leaned closer to him, so close that the tips of their noses almost touched. Suddenly blushing and pulling away, the little boy giggled and hid behind his book. Blaine remembered that he still hadn't said a word, so he managed a small, "Hi."_

_Brushing a wrinkle from his pink dress, the little boy batted his lashes at him, thick, blond lashes, "I was having a tea party with my teddy bear and saw you sitting here all alone, so I thought I'd come visit you." A cute smile curved his pink lips and he held his hand out, "You can call me Kurt."_

_Blaine stared at the little boy's hand, a pale, slender hand with oval nails. Reaching out, Blaine touched his fingertips, and Kurt laid his hand on top of Blaine's. The blush in his cheeks got brighter, "Your hand is very warm." He cooed, batting his lashes again._

_Pulling his hand away, Blaine set it in his lap, then he stared at the grass by his feet. Kurt wiggled closer to him again, sitting so that they were side by side and their legs were pressed together. "Would you like to have tea with my teddy and me? He's very friendly and he loves making friends."_

_Blaine remained silent, still nervously trying not to make a fool of himself. Reaching for his juice box, he stuck the straw in his mouth and sucked the sweet drink, doing anything but having to speak. He noticed Kurt frowning at his drink, and then he heard his stomach gurgle. He rubbed his belly and stuck his bottom lip out in a pout._

_Opening his mouth, Blaine let the straw fall off his tongue, "Are you hungry?" He finally said._

_Kurt nodded, "Well… my daddy was going to make me and my teddy muffins and tea for our tea party, but then he had to leave for work and I have no muffins and I had to fill our tea cups with water because I don't know how to make tea! Now my teddy thinks that water is tea because that's what I told him. Do you know how disappointed he would be if he knew we didn't have tea for a tea party?"_

_Blaine was trying to understand, but it was hard to keep up. Glancing at what was left of his lunch—half of a sandwich and a few sips of a juice box—he grabbed the sandwich and held it out for Kurt. He looked surprised but very pleased, "That's so nice of you! Are you sure you won't be hungry?"_

_Shaking his head, Blaine leaned back on his palms and watched him take a small bite of the sandwich, peanut butter and jelly squirting out on either side. "I love peanut butter and jelly!" He chirped, "Did you make this? It's very good."_

_Blaine shrugged, his eyes on his mouth as he chewed, his cheeks getting bigger with every bite. The little boy giggled again, "You have a talent."_

_Offering Kurt his juice box, Blaine was fascinated as he sipped on the end of the straw. His movements were so graceful, even drinking from a juice box. After he finished, he batted his lashes at Blaine, "Thank you for sharing your lunch with me."_

_Blaine pushed his mouth to one side of his face, still eyeing the little boy as he patted around himself. He found his book behind him and opened it, and Blaine leaned slightly closer. Kurt lifted his blue gaze and smiled, "Do you like stories? I love stories about princes and princesses and true love." He hugged the book to his chest and sighed, "My _maman_ says I'll marry a prince one day because I'm pretty enough. Do you think I look like a princess? All princesses are beautiful and I want to look just like one."_

_Moving closer to the little boy, Blaine looked at his story, a picture of a monster showing his claws to a princess on that page. There were words below the picture, all of them in a language Blaine couldn't read. "This is my favorite part." He pointed at the picture, "He's really a prince who did very mean things. An enchantress made him look like a beast, but he can change back if he meets a princess and falls in love with her." His finger traced over the words, "He's saying that she could never love such a beast, but she says she does." He flipped the page, and the picture showed a prince and the princess kissing. "And then he changes back and they live happily ever after."_

_Blaine raised a brow at the book, and Kurt looked at him, his eyes very kind. "Do you have a favorite story?"_

_Shaking his head, Blaine wrapped his arms around himself. Kurt laid the book in his hands, "Maybe I could read this to you sometime. Do you want to keep it?"_

_Blaine hugged the book to his chest, pulling his knees up as if to guard it. The little boy smiled from ear to ear, then he was suddenly distracted by a car turning down their street. He waved at it, and it slowed to a stop in front of his house._

_The window rolled down, revealing a balding man with a baseball cap on, "Kurt, what are you doing over here?" His voice sounded amused, and he grinned at his son. "You and your adventures."_

_The little boy popped to his feet, bouncing on his toes, and he pointed at Blaine, "Daddy, I made a friend!"_

_The older man chuckled, "That's good, honey. Come on, Kurt. I brought dinner home and I don't want it to get cold." He looked at Blaine, "Do you want to eat with us?"_

_Blaine shook his head, recoiling into a small ball as if to hide himself. Kurt waved at him, then he scampered away and climbed into the car. He started to buckle himself in, then remembered something and hopped back out. "Wait!" He cried, scurrying back over to Blaine. "You didn't tell me your name."_

_Blaine stared at Kurt, all of his pink ruffles and bows. He thought he was very pretty. "Blaine." He said after a moment, and the little boy's smile widened._

_He leaned down to kiss Blaine's cheek, a soft peck on his warm skin. His lips were so sweet. "I like that name… I'll be back tomorrow, Blaine, and I'll bring you tea and muffins!" Skipping across the yard again, Kurt boosted himself into the car and waved at Blaine, blowing him a kiss. "Goodbye!"_

* * *

Blaine gazed out the window at the towering buildings, each with bright lights on them, even so blinding through the morning mist. He watched the places he'd never seen before pass below him, getting dangerously closer to him every time the plane lowered an inch. He heard a loud speaker announce that they were about ten minutes from landing, and that was when his stomach started to twist. He uncomfortably shifted, careful not to stir Kurt, who was bundled up in his arms and snoozing.

Lowering his gaze to him and finding comfort in his sweet face, his rosy lips slightly parted and blond lashes fluttering against his cheeks, he tried to take deep breaths to calm himself down. He dared a glance out the window again, the city so close to him that he could make out people walking around. Everyone was so classy, so well dressed, and he felt very plain in his dark sweatshirt and jeans.

The plane finally hit the ground, their seats shaking with the smack, but Blaine held onto Kurt tightly so it didn't startle him. After a few moments, the plane came to a stop and people started getting up, so Blaine turned his attention to Kurt and smoothed his hair. "Sweetheart…" he whispered in his ear, pressing a kiss to his forehead, "we're here, little love. Open your eyes."

His lashes lifted, and the bluest eyes looked up at Blaine, sleepily batting. "Oh!" Kurt finally remembered what had happened and where they were, and he scrambled across Blaine and pressed his nose to the window. "Where are we?" He chirped, and after a few seconds his eyes lit up.

He turned around, his eyes wide as he looked at Blaine. "You brought me to Paris?" He whispered, a small smile tugging the corners of his lips when Blaine slightly dropped his chin. He wrapped his arms around his neck, "Oh, Blaine, I've always wanted to show you my other home." Pulling slightly away, he nipped his bottom lip, "But aren't you nervous?"

Blaine shrugged, holding onto Kurt tighter, "I am… I know I don't belong here." Nuzzling Kurt's face with his own, Blaine muttered, "But this is a part of you."

Kurt shook his head, his eyes becoming damp, "You belong here because you belong with me. Don't worry." He cooed, kissing Blaine's eyebrow and smoothing his hair. "You'll be happy, I promise."

Blaine rubbed against Kurt one last time, then he grabbed the bag by their feet and swung it onto his shoulder. Getting to his feet, he helped Kurt up and held onto his hand as he led them off the plane and into the airport.

It was crowded, people hurrying everywhere, chaos that Blaine had never seen before, not even in New York. He got lost in overheard conversations, quick words of French being passed from person to person. He couldn't understand any of it, and he couldn't read any of the signs.

"It's okay," a soft voice murmured in his ear, and he looked down at Kurt, who gave him a comforting smile. He tapped his chin with concentration, then pointed at a row of sliding doors. "The parking lot is over there. And… I think I remember Aunt Laurice going over there to get my bags." He pointed at a desk where a few other people were gathered.

"Okay." Blaine muttered, keeping his arm around Kurt as they went over to the desk.

After Kurt asked for their bags, Blaine took him over to the exit doors. They got in one of the taxis waiting at the exit. Blaine said the street name of the house they were staying in, and the man managed to understand him through his American accent.

Resting against Blaine's chest, Kurt looked out the window as they drove farther from the city, his eyes widening when they passed places he knew. "This is where I grew up." He murmured, smiling at a narrower street, "And that's where Aunt Laurice lives."

The area was beautiful, much quieter than the middle of the city, but still full of rushing people. Small shops decorated the sides of the road, and Kurt seemed fond of all of them. Blaine wanted him to tell him stories, his favorite memories, show him this beloved place of his. He was intimidated and scared, but he felt fine whenever Kurt held his hand.

About ten minutes later, the taxi slowed in front of a large, white house that stretched three stories tall, flowers and vines climbing up the walls. Some of the front of it was made of glass, showing a wide and tall living room with pillars holding onto the ceiling. "Blaine, this is for us?" Kurt's little jaw dropped with surprise. "Oh, it's so lovely!"

Blaine paid the man who drove them, and then he stepped out and went around to Kurt's side. Opening his door, he helped him out, then walked around to the back to collect their bags. Throwing them over his shoulder, he waited until the car pulled away to turn to Kurt, who still looked amazed over their house.

"I like it because it's quiet. The website said it was secluded from everything." He told Kurt, who glimpsed at him. "Is it okay for you?" Going up to Kurt, he put their bags down and wrapped him in his arms.

"Blaine, it's perfect." Kurt sighed, turning his head to kiss Blaine's cheek, "It's more than I ever wanted. You're so spoiling of me."

Kurt giggled when Blaine scooped him up into his arms, carrying him up to the glass door. Looping his arms around his neck, he laid his cheek against his chest and gasped as they went inside. "This is so beautiful!" There was a piano off to the left of them, and a curved staircase a few feet away. The kitchen seemed to be to the right. A few pale couches were gathered around a glass coffee table in the middle of the room.

Blaine set Kurt down so he could explore every room, and he darted away from him and disappeared into the kitchen. After a moment, he appeared again, his cheeks flushed with excitement. Nodding at the staircase, Blaine said, "You can go up. I'll be right back… I have to get our luggage."

Kurt ran away again, and Blaine immediately heard a door open. Turning away, he headed back outside, shoving his hands in the pocket on his sweatshirt. It was a little chilly, and when Blaine blew out, he could see his breath.

Bending down, he picked up his black duffel bag and Kurt's pink suitcase, taking them back into the house. He brought them upstairs, where Kurt was still searching. Setting them down by the bathroom, he glanced inside the dark space. It was nearly three times bigger than any bathroom he'd ever been in, with a porcelain tub in one corner and a hot tub in the other. A shower was next to the tub, one that would fit him and Kurt comfortably.

Stretching out his muscles, he thought about how good a bath sounded, so he turned around and said, "Baby, where are you?"

"Blaine!" Kurt squeaked from a few doors down, his tiny feet patting on the floor. He ran out of one of the rooms and over to Blaine, almost jumping into his arms.

"Mm…" Blaine held onto him tight, brushing his hair with his fingers. "Do you want to take a bath? I can rub your shoulders." Taking Kurt into the bathroom, he flipped on the light and went over to the tub, kneeling by it. He turned on the water and watched the steam start to rise.

Getting up again, he pulled off his sweatshirt and threw it aside, then tugged Kurt into his arms. He gently slid his red dress off his body, leaving it in a pile with his shirt. Kurt reached for the button on his jeans and undid it, and Blaine pushed them down. Blushing from his cheeks to his toes, Kurt let Blaine hook his fingers in his panties and slide them down. "You're so pretty." Blaine muttered, shoving his boxers to the floor.

He pulled Kurt to his body, feeling his soft skin brushing against his, the slow rise and fall of his stomach. He was so smooth and silky, and Blaine stuck his tongue out to taste him. Licking between his nipples, he picked him up and threw one leg over the edge of the tub. He sat down and put Kurt between his thighs, hearing him whimper when he pressed his palms to his shoulders.

Kurt was quiet for a few minutes, only making soft sounds when Blaine tickled him with his fingertips or massaged a sweet spot. Sliding his hands down to Kurt's bottom then running them over his sides, he wrapped his arms around him and whispered in his ear, "Is something on your mind, my little sweet? Are you unhappy?"

"Oh, no." Kurt shook his head, giving Blaine a very sincere look. "I'm so happy in your arms. I'm just… confused, I suppose."

Blaine raised his brows, "About what, honey?"

Kurt frowned slightly, his bottom lip trembling, "Why didn't you come to France with me before? What changed your mind?" He ran his fingertips up Blaine's powerful arms, making him shudder.

Sighing heavily and knowing that something about this would have come up eventually, Blaine leaned back against the hard wall of the tub and pressed his lips together, "Kurt… sweetheart…" He had to be honest… he couldn't keep lying. He knew he had to change his ways or else he'd never fully get better. "When we slept together at your dad's wedding… after you fell asleep… I left."

Kurt's lips parted, "But… you were there when I woke up—"

"I know. I came back when I realized what a stupid mistake I was making." He brushed Kurt's cheek, trying to soothe him. "I left because… I thought I was too horrid for you. I was a monster… I was disgusting. I went back to Santana's… she thought I was going to get on a plane to go back to California. But I knew I wasn't going to go back. After she left to take Brittany to the doctor… I was going to kill myself. I was going to break the mirror in the bathroom and take a piece of glass and slit my throat."

Kurt's eyes widened to the size of saucers, his hand flying up to his mouth. He shook his head, "No—"

"Kurt, honey… shh." He pulled Kurt's head to his chest, feeling him shake with tears, "I was going to die, anyway, if I left you. Those ten months… were the worst I've ever been through, and you know that. I knew I wouldn't be able to live much longer than that without you… I was weak and clawing myself and I wasn't eating."

Kurt's soft voice was frantic, "But after we saw each other at the wedding, you knew how much I still loved you. You knew I wanted to be with you."

"But I wasn't right for you." Blaine ran his hand over Kurt's back, "I knew I wouldn't be able to avoid you, even if I went to California. So I thought… if I killed myself, you could move on and find another man to love you."

A single tear rolled down Kurt's cheek, "But you're the only man I love."

Blaine turned his head, taking a deep breath as he covered his face with his hand, "I know… I know. And… while I was staring at that mirror, I realized that my scars had healed." He held up his hands and showed Kurt his ruined palms, wrinkled from the water. There were deep, black scars, ruts ripped through his skin, but they had all closed up. "Such an ugly thing like this—" he traced one of his scars with his fingers, "—had healed. And I saw how much you wanted me to get better. I remembered the way you kissed me and the way you smiled at me, and I realized that I'm not a monster to you."

Kurt shook his head, cupping Blaine's cheeks in his palms and twisting around so their noses almost touched, "You're beautiful to me, even with your scars. I'm so happy you came back to me." Curling up against Blaine's chest, he whispered, "I could never be without you."

Blaine rubbed Kurt's back and shoulders, breathing in his sweet scent, holding his tiny, slippery body, and he felt a tear drip from his eye. "I won't ever let you go, sweetheart." Kissing Kurt's damp mouth, he whispered, "I won't hurt you. I promise, my beautiful thing."


	2. Something There

Author's note: I still can't believe I'm actually writing the sequel. I've been trying to keep up my Out editing and write new chapters for this at the same time, but it's really difficult! But whatever. I'll get through it, I guess. So, this entire chapter (after the memory) is one big sex scene. It would be... considering it's the wedding night. But... yeah... smut. Next chapter will be Paris exploring. All of those little shops I mentioned in Out, like the ice cream store and the boutique, will be visited. So... yeah. I don't know what else to say, so I guess that's all for my commentary on my chapters.

P.S. I adopted two kitties! I don't know why anyone cares, but I love them. I adopted a fifteen year old girl named Susie and a three month old kitten. I named him Scuttle for The Little Mermaid ^_^ They're cuties.

Thanks to everyone who's already favorited/followed and reviewed! Most of you have come over here from Out, but I still love you for your devotion! :D

cold kagome: Thanks! I love Blaine :D he's so nice to Kurt.

deshaunwalker: Time to talk back and forth through reviews again! :D This one is fluffy AND smutty XD so yay! Ohmygosh... I have issues with honeymoons -_-

* * *

_"Blaine!" Blaine heard a soft squeak from across the street, and he lifted his gaze to a little boy. His blond hair bounced as he skipped over to his yard, his eyes dancing with the same humor from yesterday. Wrapping his arms around his knees, Blaine held still as Kurt plopped beside of him. "Blaine, Blaine!"_

_He happily giggled and rested his arms on Blaine's knees, putting their faces so close together that their lashes brushed with each blink. "Did you miss me?" He cooed, rubbing his cheek against Blaine's. After a moment, his eyes widened to the size of saucers and he pulled away, "I brought you a new friend!"_

_Holding up a small teddy bear with a white splotch on his nose, Kurt tugged his bowtie to straighten it, "This is my teddy bear. He doesn't have a name yet, and he's a little sad about that. I just want to find the perfect name for him!"_

_Blaine touched the soft teddy bear, and Kurt gave it to him. Looking the bear over, Blaine saw a patch on his foot that said _To Kurt. Love Mommy. _He put the bear in his lap and stared at Kurt, who was purring with happiness. Blaine wondered why he was always in such a good mood. Arching his brows, Blaine took a deep breath and noticed that the little bow in Kurt's hair was coming loose._

_He hesitantly touched his soft hair, the silky locks running through his fingers and wrapping around his knuckles. Pushing the bow back into place, he started to lower his hand, but tiny fingers wrapped around it. He looked at Kurt's pink face, a shy smile on his lips as he blushed._

_Suddenly nervous, Blaine pulled his hand away, noticing Kurt look a little sad when his hand left his. He sat down on his butt and tugged at his clothes. He felt Kurt scoot a little closer to him, and he grabbed the book that he found behind Blaine. Blaine, who had been going through that book all night and looking at the pictures of how the beauty fell in love with the beast, but not truly understanding without the words, mumbled the one question that had been bothering him, "How did the beauty fall in love with the beast if he was so cruel?"_

_Kurt smiled at him, opening the book to the first page, "Do you want me to read to you?" When Blaine dropped his chin, Kurt wiggled against his thigh and plopped between his legs. Blaine was surprised by his closeness, but he liked his warmth._

_Laying his chin on Kurt's shoulder, Blaine closed his legs around him and stared at the story book. "Once upon a time…" Kurt whispered, his finger tracing the words as he said them, "there was a handsome prince who lived all alone in a castle in the forest. He was angry because all of his friends had left him. He had been very mean to them."_

_He flipped the page to one that showed an enchantress cursing the prince. "One night an enchantress visited him. She told him if he couldn't fall in love with a princess and earn true love's kiss, he would stay a beast forever."_

_Turning the page, Kurt pointed to a picture of the beast covering his head in disgust with himself, "He became very sad because he knew no one would ever love him." Kurt moved that page aside and found the end of the chapter, so he closed the book, much to Blaine's despair._

_"I want to know about Beauty." Blaine said, reaching for the book. "I want to know how they meet."_

_Kurt smiled at him, putting the book aside and wriggling deeper into his chest, "We can read more tomorrow. It's best to take your time with a good story, _especially_ a love story. Love can't be rushed… it has to be sweet and slow, just like true love's kiss."_

_Blaine wrinkled his nose, "I like skipping to the end to know what happens."_

_"Oh, no!" Kurt shook his head. "Then you don't know the way they felt when they first fell in love… how the princess thought her prince looked so handsome the first time he smiled at her. Or the way they danced with each other the very first time… if it was silly, or if it was so graceful and his touch was so gentle."_

_Giggling to himself, Kurt hopped from between Blaine's thighs and twirled in a circle, almost falling over when he wobbled. Blaine grinned at him, watching his almost clumsy dancing, his spinning and whirling. He rested his hands on the ground, the sharp grass scratching at his palms._

_Kurt suddenly stopped dancing and looked at Blaine, his eyes wide with curiosity, "Do you want to marry a princess?" He wrapped his arms around himself and closed his eyes, a small smile curving his lips, "I want to marry a prince who will love me so much. He'd hold me so tight and tell me I'm beautiful and give me goodnight kisses." Opening one eye, he knelt in front of Blaine and asked, "Would you like to marry a princess like that? Someone who would give you hugs and kisses, and tell you you're very handsome?" He giggled again, blushing from his cheeks to his toes. "His kiss would make me so breathless and dizzy. That's the way other princesses feel."_

_Putting his hand to his forehead, Kurt dramatically swooned against Blaine's chest, "Oh, my prince, I just met you. We could never marry so soon."_

_Blaine caught Kurt in his arms, raising his brows at him, and he watched him pull a flower from a few inches away and weave it into his hair. "Aren't I pretty?"_

_Blaine nodded, and Kurt playfully giggled, covering his mouth with his fingertips. "You need to give me true love's kiss. You can kiss me on my nose or cheek." He closed his eyes and waited for Blaine's lips to caress his skin._

_Taking a deep breath, Blaine bent over Kurt and kissed his lips, just a small peck that made his cheeks as bright as roses. Kurt's lashes lifted and he gasped very softly, and then a beautiful sound rang from his lips, a shy giggle. "Now I know why princesses say kisses are magical." He whispered, and then his eyes widened. "Oh! I should be going home. My daddy said to come back before it got dark."_

_"Okay." Blaine let him up, keeping his hand in his. "Will you be back tomorrow?"_

_"Mm hm." Kurt hopped to his feet, then he stopped before he ran away. Turning back around, he gave Blaine a gentle smile and bent to kiss his cheek. "Goodbye, my handsome prince. I'll read more of our story to you tomorrow."_

_Kurt scampered away, hurrying to his home. Blaine kept sitting there with the book in his hands, and he realized that Kurt had forgotten his teddy bear. Picking it up, he figured he could keep it for him until tomorrow. It smelled like him, his sweet perfume._

* * *

Blaine crossed his legs and sank slightly into the wide, white bed, and he dug his heels in to keep his balance. Brushing invisible dust off his leg, he waited for Carole to find Archer and Hunter. While things were quiet on the other end of the phone, Blaine listened to Kurt singing from the bathroom as he prepared for bed. It was a lovely tune, cheerful and high pitched. Kurt could have never stopped singing and Blaine would have always been happy.

Scooting closer to the pillows, he suddenly heard squealing from the phone, and then it sounded like Carole was handing it to someone. "Daddy!" Archer's tiny voice chirped, and a helpless smile tugged at Blaine's lips.

"Baby," he whispered, remembering how good it felt to hold Archer's little body in his arms. "Baby, I miss you so much. Where's Hunter?"

"Finger painting." The word was very breathy, obviously a little too big for him to say. Blaine wiped his suddenly weepy eyes, laughing just from his happiness of hearing his baby's small voice. "Wait. Hunner!"

There were a few moments of pause, and Blaine was surprised to hear Archer yell. "Stop it, Hunner!" Archer's voice was suddenly pouty, "Daddy, he put smudge on me."

He heard Hunter's slightly lower voice, "Daddy, I drew picture for you." Most of the words were broken, but Blaine filled in what was missing.

"You did?" Blaine murmured, "I'm so proud of you. Daddy will hang it on the wall when he gets home." Hearing Kurt finishing up in the bathroom, he said, "Listen, my sweets, Daddy has to go. I'll call you early in the morning, I promise. Sleep well… and be good for your grandma and grandpa. Don't let them feed you too much sugar."

"Miss you, Daddy." Hunter said softly.

"I miss you, too, little loves." Blaine whispered, "You can talk to your _père_ in the morning. I love you so much."

"Love you." Archer peeped, and Blaine heard him sleepily yawning. "Goodnight, Daddy."

Blaine kept the call on for a few more seconds, hearing their soft breathing until it sounded like Carole took the phone away. Clicking the call off, he put his phone on the dresser and listened to the soft sound of patting feet.

He glanced up at the doorway and saw Kurt there, dressed in a white nightgown that was slipping off of one shoulder. Tilting his head to the side, Kurt blushed and nipped his bottom lip. Blaine stared at him, remembering what that little body looked like underneath that silky fabric. Pink and white and soft.

Holding his arms out, he muttered, "Let me have you."

A shy smile curved Kurt's lips and he padded across the room, resting between Blaine's thighs. "You know, I've dreamed about my wedding night since I was little." He whispered, the pink in his cheeks getting brighter. "I'm happy it's you."

Blaine slid his hands over Kurt's back, down to his bottom, his fingers tickling between his thighs. He reached for the bottom of Kurt's nightgown, slipping it off his skin very slowly. Kurt wasn't wearing any panties, so he was left naked in Blaine's arms.

Touching Kurt's belly button, one of his sweet spots, Blaine looked Kurt over, his smooth chest, the dip of his stomach, the points of his hips, and he realized just how perfect he was. "You're so beautiful," he whispered, pulling Kurt slightly closer to him. Holding onto his hand so he didn't lose his balance, he kissed his plump lips, tasting him.

Kurt laid his hands on Blaine's chest, crawling onto the bed with him. Grabbing the bottom of his shirt, Blaine peeled it over his head, reappearing with ruffled hair and slightly flushed cheeks. He lowered to the pillows, taking Kurt with him and laying him on top of him. It was slow caresses and sweet kisses, both of them needing it to last.

Reaching for his sweatpants, Blaine pushed them down his thighs, kicking them to the floor, and then they were both naked. He rolled over so Kurt was squished to the pillow, anxiously reaching up for him. His arms looped around his neck, tugging him down to him.

"Gentle, sweetheart…" Blaine whispered on his mouth, nuzzling him with the tip of his nose. "It's so tempting to devour you, but I want you to quiver in my arms."

Sliding his strong hands under Kurt's thighs, Blaine lifted them, wrapping them around his waist. He reached between their bodies and felt Kurt's small cock, already leaking and wet. He rubbed his thumb over the shaft, then farther back to his sacs, and along the crack between his ass cheeks. Kurt mewled and arched underneath him, and Blaine murmured, "Does that feel good?"

He stroked him from his small tip to his base, up and down. Bending over Kurt, he brushed their lips, Kurt's mouth trembling under his. He squeezed his eyes shut, and Blaine kissed his pale lids, "Open, baby. Look at me."

Kurt peeked from underneath thick lashes, his eyes so warm and bright, and he reached up to touch Blaine's face. "I want a kiss." His voice was very soft, breathless, and it made Blaine smile that he'd done that to him.

Rolling across the bed with Kurt again, Blaine took him into his arms and kissed him very deeply. Their tongues danced between their mouths, their lips never parting. "I love you." Blaine mumbled between kisses, sliding his arms down to Kurt's waist and rolling with him again.

Kurt ended up on top, and Blaine reached up to smooth his slightly messy hair. He'd missed making love like this for those ten months, so slow and caring, but knowing it would end too soon.

Lifting his head just a little, Kurt smiled down at him, his blond hair falling across his forehead, "I love you." He whispered, touching Blaine's lips with his wedding ring. "I'm yours."

Blaine kissed the ring, then lifted his own hand, where both of his wedding rings glinted. Stroking Kurt's hair again, Blaine curved a corner of his mouth and flipped them over again. He laid down in the little cradle his thighs formed, "And I'm yours, Kurt… always."

Kurt cried out Blaine's name when he pushed inside of him, a slow rhythm that let him see every expression on Kurt's crumpled face, his mouth falling open and his cheeks blushing as red as roses. Feeling himself fall apart in Kurt's arms, Blaine laid his cheek on Kurt's shoulder, his heart racing just a few inches from his ear.

They both moaned when they came, shaking in each other's arms. Tears rolled down their cheeks, both gasping to catch their breath. Blaine flopped onto his back, pulling Kurt onto his chest to curl into a ball. Kurt smiled in his arms, happily pleasured.

After they calmed down from their orgasms, Blaine slightly lifted his head and looked at Kurt, who was purring on his chest. "Honey… there's something I need to tell you."

Kurt blinked up at him, "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine." Blaine assured him, slipping out from under him, much to Kurt's distress. He laid him on the pillows, kissing his naked back as he covered it with a blanket. "I'll be right back." Brushing Kurt's hair with his fingers, he left the room and walked down the hallway. He bent over his duffel bag, which was in the bathroom, and unzipped it. He picked up what he wanted and carried it back into their bedroom.

Kurt was bundled up in the blankets, looking exhausted but very pleased. He gave Blaine a gentle smile, holding his hand out for him. Blaine crawled back onto the bed, sitting down on his knees by Kurt. "Honey… you remember two years ago… in the English room… when we met."

Kurt nodded, hugging a pillow to his chest, "That was one of the happiest days for me."

Blaine opened the photo album to one of the last pages, showing Kurt a picture of a tiny, blond boy wrapping his arms around a dark headed boy. Kurt looked at the picture for a moment, and then his lips parted. "That little boy…" he whispered, shaking his head. "I remember him… a-and I was with him."

Blaine flipped to another page, showing Kurt a few more pictures. Kurt took the book from him, looking closer at the pictures. He seemed distant, his mind somewhere else. "I do know him. He was my best friend… but then I left for France and I—" his eyes widened to the size of saucers. "Those beautiful, golden eyes… I loved his eyes."

He lifted his blue gaze to Blaine, his eyes shimmering. "You…" He murmured almost unsurely, "It's you. You're him."

Blaine quirked a crooked smile at him, and Kurt leapt from the blankets, throwing himself into Blaine's arms. Holding him tightly, Blaine squeezed until he was afraid he might crush him. "I love you so much…" Kurt whispered, his voice shaky with so much emotion.

"My beautiful thing." Blaine muttered, kissing Kurt's swollen lips very gently.


	3. Once Upon a Dream

Author's note: My Out editing is finally done! There might be a few errors left, but for the most part it's better than what it was :P So... this chapter. This was not my original plan. In the beginning this was going to be just them doing funny stuff in town, but I wanted to talk about Keegan, so more Keegan backstory is given in this one! Wow. A character that was not supposed to exist gets his own chapter. So, I don't know how many of you actually like Keegan. You don't know a lot about him... but now I guess you do. Just so all of you know, I haven't said it yet in my story, but I will eventually, but Keegan is 24 years old. Everett would be the same age as him if Karofsky hadn't attacked. The attack happened about seven or eight years ago. I don't know if I'll ever bring Brody back, but he is going to be referenced eventually, and it will have something to do with Keegan and Everett. But, anyway, I think I'm going to make Keegan a much bigger character in this story.

P.S. I got accepted to a college, which is sort of yay, but I have another college visit tomorrow. I'm not sure how much writing I'll get done. This chapter took a little longer because I was finishing up with Out. I think I cried a little when I hit the "complete" button.

ObsessiveGleeSyndrome: I think the memories are adorable! :D Kurt was very flirty as a child! Great job with the competition! It sounds like a lot of fun :)

deshaunwalker: I actually laughed out loud at your review. Blaine meeting Brody isn't something I would do over their honeymoon, but it's something I'm definitely considering for later :P I would have so much fun writing a Blody fight (but Blaine would obviously win) XD

Just as a side note, Disney reference chapter titles!

* * *

_Blaine looked up at the sound of grass crunching under light feet, and he saw Kurt scampering toward him, this time in a green dress with a white bow in his hair. Relieved that he'd come back, he held his arms out, feeling Kurt jump into them. Kurt laughed into his hair, tangling his fingers in the dark locks. "Blaine." He said, sliding his hands down to his cheeks and squishing them. "I'm so happy to see you. I thought about you all last night… and I dreamed about you!"_

_Feeling his heart skip a beat, Blaine held onto Kurt as he curled up in his arms and reached for their book. "What were we doing in your dreams?"_

_Kurt's cheeks brightened to a soft pink, an adorable flush that made Blaine want to kiss those round cheeks. "You were holding me… you were saying the sweetest things. You stroked my hair and kissed my nose and chin, and you hugged me so tightly. It was so warm in your arms. I couldn't stop giggling because you made me so shy with nerves." Holding his hand up to his mouth and hiding a quiet laugh, he looked up and batted his lashes at Blaine, "Did you dream of me?"_

_Blaine, who was still speechless and tongue tied, managed to shake his head. At Kurt's concerned expression and tilted head, he smoothed a blond lock that had fallen across his pale forehead, "I don't dream."_

_"Oh, but, you must." Kurt whispered, his eyes becoming shiny. "Dreams can be so breathtaking. I like my dreams… Sometimes I dream of my _maman_ and then I get anxious for her to come home, and sometimes I dream of my fairytales. I was very happy when I dreamt of you." Looping his arms around Blaine's neck, Kurt looked into his golden eyes, "One day you'll dream of me, and I'll stroke your cheek like this—" he ran a soft hand over Blaine's cheek, which made him hold his breath, "—and I'll kiss your nose like this." He pecked Blaine's nose with his lips. "And then you'll wake up and want to see me, like I did this morning."_

_Blaine had forgotten how to say anything, just concentrating on holding Kurt's little body. Wiggling against Blaine's chest, Kurt purred and rubbed his cheek against Blaine's. "Would you like to come to my home tomorrow?"_

_Blaine was shocked by the question, and he pushed his mouth to one side of his face. Kurt smiled at his confused expression, "You could have dinner with my daddy and me, and you could sleep. We could watch movies and snuggle. I like snuggling." Nuzzling under Blaine's chin just to show him how much he liked it, he rested his cheek on Blaine's chest._

_"Would you read to me over there?" Blaine asked quietly. "I like when you do that."_

_A small smile curved Kurt's lips, "Sure. I'll do anything that you like." Laying a soft hand on their book, Kurt chirped, "Would you like me to read to you now? I could read two chapters to you… just because I like being with you so much."_

_Blaine nodded, and Kurt flipped their book open to the place they left off. Wrapping his arms around Kurt, Blaine laid his chin on his shoulder and watched him point his finger at the first word. "In a little village not far from the Beast's castle, there lived a beautiful girl. Her name was Beauty, and everyone admired her. But she was very lonely. You see, she didn't have very many friends because she felt different. But still… she hoped to meet someone someday."_

_Kurt's finger slid up to a picture of a pretty girl sitting in a field of flowers, picking one of the roses. He turned the page and murmured, "One day her doting father left her to sell an invention in the fair, but he didn't come home for hours. She worried about him, so she decided to find him."_

_Turning to another page, Kurt said, "She'd never been very far from home, so she was very scared. She came across a dark castle deep in the woods. She wondered if her father had gone there for shelter, and she went inside to look for him."_

_He pointed to a picture of the girl wandering around a castle, her hands curled with nerves. "The Beast, who had locked her father up only hours ago, was very angry about her intrusion. He roared at her to leave, and she was very frightened. She cried at his feet to let her father go. He was surprised by her beauty, so he told her he would let her father go if she would stay with him. She said yes, and he let her father go and locked her in the dungeon. She was happy her father was safe again, but she cried with fear of the Beast."_

_Kurt closed the book and looked at Blaine again. Blaine wanted to hear more, not sure if he was so enthralled with the story or the sound of Kurt's voice as he read. He was very taken with the story, lowering his tone every time they came to a scary part, and speaking much faster during happy scenes. It made Blaine smile with humor. "One more chapter… please." He pleaded, and Kurt wrinkled his nose with delight._

_"Not yet." Kurt said, giving the book to Blaine and touching his cheek. "I'm happy you like it. It's my favorite love story." Happily sighing, he leaned closer to Blaine and kissed his cheek. "Will I see you tomorrow?"_

_Blaine nodded, frowning when Kurt scrambled from his arms. Spinning around, Kurt noticed the sour look on Blaine's face and blinked a few times. He knelt down by Blaine's legs and cooed to him, "We won't be apart for long." Cuddling against Blaine, he whispered, "But I'll miss you."_

_"I don't like being away from you." Blaine muttered, holding onto Kurt._

_Kurt lifted his head and smiled, "You can dream of me." Closing his eyes, he kissed Blaine's lips, "Goodbye." He hurried away from Blaine and ran down the sidewalk, leaving Blaine reaching out for him._

* * *

Stepping out of the hot shower, Blaine reached for his towel and quickly dried himself off, running it over his damp chest and between his thighs. He threw it aside and shook out his dripping curls. Going up to the wide mirror, he stared at himself, his skin dark with a Filipino tan and his eyes wide and bright with gold specks flashing in them.

He shoved his hair off his face and touched his cheeks, his sharp cheekbones, his pointed chin. He briefly remembered when he'd been pale and very thin, only a few months ago. How different he felt when he looked in a mirror, how he'd wanted to hide from himself. He remembered smashing the mirror in his bathroom, the agony when he saw himself as Finn tore the drape away.

Lifting his hand to see the tiny scars where the glass had pierced his palms, he traced one of them with his finger. It didn't hurt anymore. He closed his fist and turned back to his clothes, picking up a gray shirt. He pulled on his clothes and left the room, heading for the bedroom.

Opening the door, he stopped moving and leaned against the wall, watching Kurt, who was still bundled up in the blankets. His tiny hand was resting above his head, his fingers slightly curled. He had his cheek squished to the pillow, his pink lips parted and his lashes laying on his cheeks. They fluttered with every breath he took.

Smiling at how beautiful he looked, a pale body on the white bed, his rosy lips the only streak of color, Blaine peeled off the wall and went to him. He bent over him and kissed his lips. Kurt sighed and rolled a little closer to his warmth, curling up against the part of his chest that was pressed to the edge of the bed. A tiny smile tugged the corners of his mouth, making his dimples pop.

Blaine sat down on the edge of the bed, rubbing gentle circles on his small back. "Honey…" he slid his fingers under the blankets and stroked Kurt's naked skin, so soft and warm. "Sweetheart, open your pretty eyes."

Batting his lashes, Kurt sleepily mewled and tightened his ball, burrowing into Blaine's stomach. Blaine softly laughed and slid his arms under his light body, scooping him up. He laid him against his chest, feeling his head loll. "Look at you… so beautiful."

His pale lids lifted, revealing a pair of glittery eyes. "_Blaine._" He whispered so softly, reaching up for Blaine's face. Patting his cheeks, he cooed and squirmed.

Blaine quirked a crooked grin at him, "I wanted to know if you would show me Paris today." At Kurt's surprised expression, he shrugged, "I want to know everything about you."

Kurt's little mouth fell open, "I'd love that, Blaine!" Sitting up in Blaine's arms, he wrapped his arms around him, "I have so many places I want you to see. We can get breakfast at my favorite café and then we can go to the boutique."

"I picked out a dress for you." Blaine nodded at their dresser, "You're pretty in pink."

Slipping from Blaine's grip, Kurt scurried over to the sundress and held it up, "Oh, I love this one!" He tugged it on and turned around so Blaine could tie the bow in the back, then he searched for a pair of panties in the drawers.

After he was dressed, the two of them went downstairs, and Blaine called for a taxi that showed up ten minutes later. The drive into town was quiet, Kurt watching out the windows while Blaine was busy playing with his hands. The taxi stopped when Kurt pointed out a tiny shop with a sign in the window that Blaine couldn't read.

"This is my favorite place to have breakfast." Kurt told him, following Blaine out of the taxi. He hopped to the ground and reached for Blaine's hand. "The food is amazing."

Blaine held onto him as he skipped into the café, the smell of cinnamon and coffee making his mouth water. There were few people at the tables, which was a relief to Blaine. Kurt went up to the counter and said something in French, tapping his chin. He murmured something else, then turned to Blaine. "Do you want coffee and a muffin?"

Blaine nodded, and Kurt translated for him. They were given their food a moment later. Carrying it back to a table, Blaine set it down and pulled Kurt's chair out for him. He sat down in the other chair, still eyeing the tiny café. Kurt munched on his muffin, "Do you like it here?"

Taking a sip of his coffee, Blaine turned to Kurt, whose eyes were wide with curiosity. "Yes." He said, surprised that he was actually comfortable here.

Kurt's eyes softened, "I knew you would. There's still so much to see! I spent most of my childhood in this area, but the middle of Paris is too beautiful to not see. That's where the big buildings and designer shops and Eiffel Tower are."

"What about… your home?" Blaine asked quietly, needing to see where Kurt slept when he was young. "With your aunt."

Kurt's smile widened, "If you'd like to see that, we could." Stirring his tea, Kurt lifted it to his mouth and took a few sips. "Blaine… I'm happy you're here with me."

Blaine laid his hand on top of his, sliding his fingers through Kurt's. After he finished his coffee, he gave what was left of his muffin to Kurt, who happily nibbled it. "Do you want to go see other things?" Kurt murmured once he was done, scooting out of his chair.

Blaine got up with him, putting his hand at his waist. They left the café and walked down the sidewalk, Kurt softly humming to himself. They turned a corner onto a much quieter street, this one a narrow road with no sidewalk wrapping around it. It was a little more rundown, graffiti spray painted on the sides of the buildings that blocked them in. There was a strong odor of decaying garbage wafting from somewhere.

"The alleyways are right over there," Kurt said softly, noticing Blaine's disgusted expression. He pointed to a darker area, the buildings so close together that it'd be hard to squeeze two people in there. Kurt looked away from the alleys, his face a little paler than before. "But the boutique is up ahead… and so is Keegan's house."

"Keegan?" Blaine repeated, looking at the houses that were close by. They all seemed ready to collapse, none of them taken care of.

Kurt didn't answer him, walking just a little faster as they passed by one of the alleyways. Blaine looked down it, seeing nothing but gravel and a dumpster. "Honey… wait. You might hurt your ankle if you step on one of these cracks." Grabbing Kurt's hips, he tugged him back to his side, "What's the matter, baby? Are you upset?"

Kurt shook his head, glancing down that alley again. "No… I'm fine."

Blaine looked at the alleys again, "Are you afraid of the alleyways?" Something in Kurt's expression changed, a sudden worry. He nipped his bottom lip and tightened his grip on Blaine's hand. "Sweetheart, look at me. I would never let anything hurt you. Besides… no one's back there."

Kurt made a quiet sound and he squeezed his eyes shut, so Blaine held onto him tighter, "Kurt… Kurt… shh. Calm down… you'll panic yourself. I've never seen you so afraid."

Kurt's bottom lip trembled, and he cracked his eyes open, but he pressed himself against Blaine's chest. "That's where…" his voice broke, "where it happened."

"Where what happened?" Blaine smoothed Kurt's hair.

Kurt's wide eyes turned to the alley again, and he took a deep breath, "Where Everett was killed." He stepped away from Blaine and went toward the alleyway, but Blaine quickly caught up to him and pulled him close again. He knew no one was around—that was obvious—but he still didn't like Kurt being in the alley.

Wandering over to a crack in the ground, Kurt glanced around as if to check something, "Everett was standing here when Karofsky hit him."

Blaine winced at the name, and a brief image, one of a boy crying out under Karofsky's hard hand, flashed in his mind. He held onto Kurt tighter. "I was standing right there." Kurt said, nodding at a spot only a few inches away.

Blaine realized how close he'd been to Karofsky, and he felt a sharp pain in his gut at the thought that Karofsky could have easily grabbed Kurt instead. "Keegan was holding onto Everett, but Karofsky was too strong."

Leaning against the wall, Blaine watched Kurt as he kept looking around, his eyes very distant. He wondered if he was seeing the scene over and over in his head. He went back to Blaine, holding onto him as if wanting protection from something that wasn't there. "Karofsky threw Everett down, and then he ran away." Kurt's eyes followed the ground of the alleyway over to the opening to the main road, as if he was seeing Karofsky running away right at that moment.

Kurt left his arms again and walked out of the alley, and Blaine kept at his heels. Wrapping his arms around himself, he went up to a house that was stuck between two others. It was yellow, a small rectangle that didn't look very comfortable. Most of the paint had chipped off, and the steps up to the porch creaked under their feet.

It took effort to open the door, but Blaine eventually shoved on it. A wall of dust hit their faces, and it was hard to breathe. After they went in, Kurt stopped in the doorway, looking at the paintings and pictures hung on the walls. The paintings were beautiful, all of them flowers, with light strokes forming every petal. The pictures were of Keegan, and in each of them he was with someone else. He looked about seventeen in the pictures, bright eyed and grinning happily. It was a side of him that Blaine hadn't ever seen.

He was with a little boy in most of them, a blond haired boy with rosy cheeks and big, blue eyes. Keegan was always holding Kurt, protectively standing over him. In the other pictures he was with a red haired boy, a boy with a full face, darker skin, and freckles. He had chocolate eyes with golden specks glittering in them. He looked about Keegan's age, and he seemed very happy with him. His smile was playful, teasing, as if he had some secret joke on his mind.

"Is that Everett?" Blaine quietly asked, and Kurt glanced at the picture he was staring at.

"Mm hm." Kurt nodded. "He was very handsome."

"He's beautiful." He turned to another picture, one of Everett pinned to a tree and laughing as Keegan hovered over him.

"He loved to laugh." Kurt wiped a smudge of dust off the picture, "He was only ever serious when Keegan let on how much he loved him." Padding away from Blaine, he paused by a painting of a flower, "He was an artist. He liked to paint flowers. He never said why, but he always made them look so beautiful." He turned to Blaine, "Keegan said that Everett was very shy at first, but then he blossomed and became very witty and humorous."

Blaine followed Kurt over to a staircase, and they walked up the squeaking stairs. The house was very tiny, and the ceiling nearly brushed the top of his head as it caved near the stairs. There were two rooms upstairs, a bedroom and a bathroom. Kurt tiptoed over to the bedroom, poking his nose inside.

The bedroom was nearly bare, the bed low to the ground and very thin and lumpy. There was only a dresser in the corner, and it had nothing on it. Blaine swallowed thickly, having never realized what kind of life Keegan lived. He'd always seemed so perfect and put together, too beautiful to have nothing but a mansion to sleep in. He was startled by what he had hidden.

Kurt's voice was suddenly shaky, "Keegan carried Everett in here after Karofsky left. His legs trembled so much that he nearly collapsed a few times on the way up. He laid Everett down on his bed. Everett was barely alive by then, but he kept trying to soothe Keegan. Keegan kept saying that he'd make it better, he'd get him help, but he knew there was nothing they could do for him."

A single tear rolled down his cheek, and Blaine reached over to wipe it away. "Everett said that it'd be okay, he'd be happy and meet someone who could tell him he loved him every day." Kurt walked over to the bed and touched the flat pillow, sitting down by it. "The last thing Everett ever said… was that he'd never told Keegan he loved him… but that he did… very much."

Blaine raised his head, "He never told him he loved him?"

Kurt shook his head, "He was very nervous about men… and having his heart broken." Pulling his knees to his chest, he wrapped his arms around them and laid his chin on them. "He asked for a kiss… and Keegan started begging him to not say things like that. He was so desperate… he was sobbing in Everett's arms. He kept calling him Evie… it was a sweet name he gave him." He had to pause to catch his breath, more tears rolling down his cheeks. "Everett stroked his hair and pleaded for a kiss, and Keegan kissed him." Hiccupping very softly, he closed his eyes, his fingers twisting in the bed sheets. "He died in Keegan's arms… and Keegan laid in them for hours… crying and whispering for Everett to come back to him."

Blaine felt a tear at his lashes, and he realized that a few others had escaped. He went over to Kurt and bundled him in his arms, gently rocking him. "I sat down next to Keegan, and he put his head in my lap and asked me not to leave him. I stayed there with him while he cried… but I knew my aunt would worry if I didn't come home so I had to leave the next day. I went back as soon as I could and I…" his voice broke again, so Blaine pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"It's okay, sweetheart." Blaine murmured, brushing his hair with his fingers. "You can cry in my arms."

Tears fell from Kurt's eyes like rain, and he collapsed against Blaine's chest. "I found Keegan on the floor… he'd poisoned himself. I brought him back by splashing his face with water… and got him to the hospital before the poison reached his heart. But he didn't want to be brought back. He realized what he meant to me, though, and he promised he would stay alive for me. He was like the big brother I'd never had… he was my best friend. I-I couldn't let him go."

Blaine nuzzled him with his nose, trying to soothe him, do anything to ease the harsh memories. Kurt sniffled and rubbed his cheek against Blaine's, "Keegan became very depressed for months. He wouldn't come out of his house, and he stopped taking care of it." Kurt looked around the room and paused on the dust caked on the dresser and the worn blankets. "Nothing made him happy. It took him a very long time to come out in public, and he's still getting better, but he's not the same. Everett was his true love… Keegan said so himself. He was always a romantic."

Shaking his head, Kurt whispered, "He thought we were safe that night. He never would have taken us back there if he had thought we were in any danger. He's never stopped regretting that night, and I know he hates himself for it. He was always so careful and loving to both of us." His eyes filled with more tears, "Am I a bad person for saving him the night he tried to poison himself? I know he just smiles for me… but he's really miserable. He didn't want to be woken up."

"_Kurt._" Blaine was shocked by Kurt's question, as he'd never heard anything like it from Kurt. "Honey… no. Come here." Holding onto Kurt tighter, he rocked him against his chest, wiping his tears with his thumb. "You did a good thing by saving him. Keegan loves you so much… I can see it whenever he looks at you. He is happy, baby. It's not just a face he puts on to settle your nerves. He's happy to be around you."

Kurt wiped his leaking eyes, "I try to understand him, but it's too painful to even imagine being without you."

"Shh…" Blaine rubbed Kurt's back, "What Keegan feels… for Everett… is the most horrific pain that I can think of. If I lost you…" he shook his head, stopping himself from finishing. "He's very strong. But, Kurt, you make it less painful for him. He loves you so, so much."

Kurt pointed at Blaine's wedding ring, "Keegan gave that to me. He said he wanted me to give it to you on our wedding day." He ran his finger over the words, "He was going to propose to Everett the night he was murdered."

Blaine rubbed his wedding ring, imagining it on Everett's hand. He would have smiled and teased Keegan about his proposal, and then he would have kissed him and let him slide it on to his finger. They would have been happy together, married soon after that because they loved each other too much to wait.

He looked up at the empty room again, at how dreadful it seemed, so dull. He suddenly saw Keegan laying in this bed, his head against the pillow and tears rolling down his cheeks. The sound of his own crying was probably his lullaby every single night. He turned his head and saw a window, just a small one, in the wall. It was dusty, but Blaine managed to see through the cloud. Around the other houses was a perfect view of the very alleyway that haunted him, that probably killed him every time he saw it. Then he noticed a blanket on the floor, in a pile underneath it. He probably used that to cover it, but it had fallen off while he was away.

Blaine stood up and went over to it, picking it up and hanging it back over the window. Sitting back on his heels, Blaine thought for a few seconds, but his decision wasn't a hard one to make. "Kurt… sweetheart. Look at me."

He turned around and met Kurt's blue gaze, "Do you want… to ask Keegan to live with us in America? My house in California has three bedrooms… one for us, one for the babies. He could have the other one. He could learn English… I could get him a job with the Warblers."

Kurt's mouth fell open, and he put a hand to his lips, "Blaine… you wouldn't mind?"

Blaine shook his head, "Of course not. I know how much you care about him… and how much he loves you. I can't leave him in a house that destroys him every day."

Kurt's cheeks turned bright red, and he hopped up from the bed. Hurrying over to Blaine, he jumped into his arms and held him as tightly as he could. Blaine wrapped him in his arms, holding him so close. "I would love that very much." Pulling slightly away, he kissed Blaine's lips, "Thank you for being the best husband ever."

Blaine smiled at him, kissing him again, "It's not a problem, my little love. I like Keegan."

Sniffing again, Kurt tucked his head under Blaine's chin, "I love you so much, Blaine. You're very kind to me."

"I love you, too, beautiful thing." Blaine squeezed him, "You're so precious to me."


	4. A Whole New World

Author's note: I have issues with this chapter. I was going to do the scenes where Kurt dresses up like a bunny and Blaine wears a dress during this chapter, and I did write those things out, but then I realized that it was very out of character for them. Blaine's just too shy and awkward :/ So, I wrote this one instead. I feel like this is going to be my last honeymoon chapter. I know I could have written more smut or something, but I didn't want ten chapters of nothing but smut. I'm happy with hand holding and little kisses. But, Blaine and Kurt will be back in France and their honeymoon house will show up again, so there could be a smut scene later on. This book just isn't going to be that funny or smutty.

So, while I was writing this one, I got a really bad fever. I'm mostly over it now, but I'm still pretty tired from it. Then I wrote some of this during a two hour drive to a college, but luckily I shouldn't have any more college visits coming up because I finally decided on which college I'm going to. And then my OCD has been really bad these past few days. But, anyway, next Friday I'll probably be going to a fair with my friend and she might be spending the night at my house, and then in about a month I'll be going to a wedding, which is really cool because I love weddings ^_^

Anyway, I got a message about the Out PDF the other day, and I figured I could let everyone know about the issues with that. The PDF is like the first draft of Out, and then I made all of those changes on here, but I did send a message to ask if the PDF could be updated. So, I have no idea when it'll be changed, but I think for now it's still the first draft.

I feel like I should warn everyone that within ten to fifteen chapters this story is going to get extremely dark. I don't know, I might wait longer than that, but pretty soon those child abuse scenes are going to start happening and they're going to be described pretty graphically. You can skip over them if you want. The only purpose they're going to have is to show why one of my characters is the way he is. I'll try to let everyone know what exactly is going to happen in my author's notes.

So, yeah, I think that's about it. Again, sorry if the honeymoon wasn't all you wanted it to be. I just have issues with smut :P But I found out yesterday that Out is almost at 100,000 views which is really cool, so thanks to everyone for the support!

ObsessiveGleeSyndrome: I'm glad you like it so far! I've been so nervous about this story because I'm kind of winging it :P If you have any ideas, pleeeease let me know!

deshaunwalker: Thanks! I love writing Keegan scenes!

* * *

_Blaine hesitantly approached the little house on the end of the street, his eyes wide as he tried to see through the windows. He could see flashes from a TV, and a shadow of a man walking around. Dragging a bag of his things behind him, he went up to the door and held up his hand, but he didn't knock. He nervously bit his bottom lip, hearing Kurt squeaking from within. He was saying something that Blaine couldn't make out, but his voice was still so pretty._

_Lifting his hand again, he knocked a few times, and then he pulled away. After a few moments, heavy footsteps thudded on the floor, and the door cracked open. The man from the car was on the other side, a newspaper in one hand. He raised his brows at Blaine, "Well, hey there. You're that kid from the other day, aren't you?"_

_Looking at the ground, Blaine nodded. The man moved aside and let him in, and he glanced in the main room, where Kurt was twirling around in circles. Sleeping Beauty was playing on the TV, and he seemed to be dancing to one of the songs. He stopped dancing when he spun toward Blaine, and his blue eyes widened. "Blaine!" He scurried over to him, prancing in a circle around him. "Hello." At Blaine's startled expression, he giggled and whirled again, kicking up one of his feet. "Do you want to watch Sleeping Beauty with me?"_

_The man, who had left the room, walked back in with a pop can in his hand, "Dinner's almost ready, hon." He glanced at Blaine as he sat down in a recliner, "I take it your name's Blaine?"_

_Kurt giggled again and tangled his fingers in Blaine's hair, "He's nice, Daddy. He's going to sleep over." Holding onto Blaine, Kurt looked at the TV again and saw Phillip spying on Aurora as she danced with the owl. He plopped on the fuzzy blanket that had been laid in front of the TV, so Blaine lowered beside of him._

_Kurt seemed fascinated by the movie, smiling when Phillip took her into his arms. His cheeks brightened and he wrapped his arms around himself as if pretending he was getting a hug from a prince. Blaine wasn't nearly as interested in the movie as he was in watching Kurt's excited expressions as they danced in each other's arms. Raising his brows when Kurt nearly fell over as he scooted closer to the TV, Blaine quirked half a smile at how adorable he looked._

_A few minutes later, his dad got back up and returned to the kitchen, then he called, "Come on in, boys. Dinner's ready."_

_Scrambling to his feet, Kurt paused the movie but seemed reluctant to leave it, his dancing eyes staying on the frozen image of Aurora resting her cheek on the prince's shoulder. Blaine got up with him, and Kurt looked at him, quickly wrapping his hands around his arm. They walked into the kitchen, where his dad was setting a table. He had fixed a simple dinner, burgers and salad._

_Blaine helped Kurt climb into a chair, and then he took the one next to him. His dad sat down opposite of him, still eyeing Blaine. He took a burger and put it on his plate, while Kurt munched on a piece of lettuce. "You're the Anderson's youngest boy, aren't you?"_

_Nodding, Blaine grabbed the salad bowl and put some on his plate. The man raised a brow at him, "You know, I'm really glad you're here. Not a lot of kids will…" he glanced at Kurt, who was distracted by pouring dressing on his salad, and he cleared his throat, "hang out with him because he's different."_

_Blaine wondered what he was referring to, what he meant by Kurt being different. He was more beautiful than anyone else, Blaine was certain of that, and he had a prettier voice, but Blaine saw nothing wrong with him. Kurt finally looked up and blinked a few times, realizing he was the center of attention. "What's wrong?" He said softly, and his dad shook his head._

_"Not a thing, honey." Burt took a bite of his burger, then looked at Blaine again. "You know, Kurt's mom and his aunt are coming to visit in a few weeks. They usually try to make a trip over here whenever his mom gets time off Broadway. You think you'll want to see them?"_

_Kurt's smile widened, "My _maman_ is so nice. Every time I see her she gives me a new tiara to add to my collection. And my aunt gives the best hugs."_

_Blaine pressed his lips together, "Okay."_

_Burt added, "Kurt's mom is French. He has a long line of family from there. She's been singing on Broadway for years. She's been begging for us to move down there with her… and I know Kurt would love it." Shrugging, he shook his head, "I might get around to it one day. But, you know, we'd have to sell the house, and I have my job. The timing's not right."_

_Blaine swallowed another piece of lettuce, looking at Kurt again. He was nibbling on a carrot, then he lifted his head when his dad pushed away from the table. "Well, I think I'm going to finish the game in my room then go to bed." He walked over to the sink and put his plate away, then returned to Kurt and bent over him to kiss the top of his head. "Goodnight, honey. There are cupcakes on the counter, and you know where the rest of the snacks are. Don't stay up too late… and be good to Blaine." He reached over and scrubbed Blaine's curls, "Don't let him scare you off, okay?"_

_"Goodnight, Daddy!" Kurt chirped, wiggling out of his chair. He scurried over to the sink and struggled to put his plate in it._

_Blaine quickly finished chewing and got up, following him to the counter. He put his plate down and stood with Kurt, who didn't stay still for long. He hurried back into the living room, so Blaine followed on his heels. Kurt was circling around his overnight bag, "Do you want to change into your pajamas and go to my room?"_

_Blaine nodded, and Kurt pointed at a room a few feet away. "That's the bathroom. I'll get you a cupcake while you're gone. I made them all by myself!" Kurt ran away from him, leaving him alone._

_Taking a deep breath, Blaine picked up his bag and went into the bathroom, shutting himself inside. He reached in his bag and found a toothbrush, so he quickly scrubbed his teeth and spat into the sink. He found his pajamas on top of their story book and slipped out of his clothes. Pulling on a dark shirt and blue sweatpants, he swung his bag over his shoulder again and walked out, nearly bumping into Kurt._

_He hopped up and down at the sight of him, holding out a pink cupcake that was dripping with gooey icing. "I put extra sprinkles on this one for you." He purred, giggling as Blaine took it and licked the top. "Do you like it?"_

_It was very good, sweet on Blaine's tongue, and he dropped his chin. Laughing again, Kurt took Blaine's open hand and tugged him toward a staircase. "My room is down here." They went down the staircase and Blaine looked around, seeing pink and white everywhere. The little rug by the bed was pink and fuzzy, and his vanity was white. The sheets on the bed were dark pink._

_Kurt scrambled over to his bed and hopped onto it, snuggling under the blankets. He patted the spot beside of him, and Blaine climbed in beside of him. Curling up against Blaine's chest, Kurt said softly, "Are you sleepy?"_

_Blaine shook his head, reaching for his bag and pulling their story book out. "Can you read to me?" He whispered, and Kurt smiled and took the book from him, opening it to the next chapter. "Kurt?" He said before Kurt started reading, and Kurt looked up at him, his eyes very round. The dull lights made the blue slightly darker, so beautiful in his pale face. "Why… did your dad say you were different? I see nothing wrong with you."_

_Kurt flushed, and he rubbed his cheek against Blaine's shoulder. "That's very sweet of you. He said I was different because…" he touched his silver nightgown, "because I wear dresses. I've been called mean names, but I like wearing dresses. I like feeling like a princess. It makes me happy… so I'm not hurt by it."_

_Blaine held Kurt closer, "I think you're pretty in dresses."_

_Kurt's cheeks got even brighter, and he sighed. Laying his cheek against Blaine's heart, he held up the book and read, "The next day, the Beast visited Beauty. He didn't understand her, so he asked her why she agreed to stay with him if he looked so awful. He admired her bravery. He let her out of the dungeon and told her she could explore his castle, but she couldn't go in his room."_

_He turned the page and showed Blaine a picture of the two of them slowly starting to bond over idle talk. "But somewhere not far away, there was a mean hunter who wanted the Beast's fur as his own. He was very cruel and would stop at nothing to end the Beast's life."_

_"What happens?" Blaine muttered, alarmed by the twist in the story. "Does the hunter kill the Beast?"_

_Kurt smiled at him and caressed his jaw, "Let me read, Mr. Impatient." Turning back to the book, Kurt started on the next chapter, "The Beast and Beauty were slowly becoming friends. They were unsure and nervous about each other, but they understood each other. She told him how she felt like such an outcast, and she knew that he was unwanted by the villagers."_

_Kurt's voice suddenly got softer and his lids started to droop, "But they loved spending time with each other, just the two of them in a world of their own, unlike any other…" He sleepily yawned and batted his lashes, but his eyes slowly closed. He rested against Blaine's chest, snoozing within moments. His breathing got softer and his lips parted, the book draped across his chest._

_Smirking at him, Blaine carefully reached for the book and put it aside, then bundled him in his arms. He laid his head on the pillow and tried to sleep, but he liked watching Kurt, who was very lovely in his sleep._

* * *

Taking Kurt's hand, Blaine followed him into a small, warm home that smelled of cinnamon and apples. He shut the door behind himself, looking at the pictures of Kurt on the wall, most of them of him as a pudgy, pink baby. Blaine thought he looked very cute. When Kurt left his side to go into what looked like a living room with a small TV and a couch, Blaine walked a few steps forward, stopping by a kitchen.

He glanced down at some markings on the doorway, noticing a few lines slashed above one another. Kneeling beside of them, he ran his fingertips over them, then saw Kurt's name above the lines. He had always been tiny, just barely taller than Blaine as a child.

He got to his feet again and went over to a staircase, going up a few steps and then turning his head toward the living room again. Kurt wasn't there anymore. Feeling something brush his jacket, he looked over his shoulder and spotted Kurt on the step below him. "What's up here?" He asked quietly.

"That's my bedroom." Kurt pointed to a room off to the right. "Would you like to see it?" He wrapped his fingers around Blaine's arm and tugged him up a few more steps. Padding over to the door, he pushed it open and wandered inside, standing by the edge of his bed as Blaine explored.

The room was very tiny, the ceiling almost at Blaine's head, and the floor groaned under his heavy footsteps. It was covered in pink, the walls so light of a pink that they almost looked white. Little roses had been painted, scattered on the walls. A pink rug was under his feet, and the sheets on the bed were pink. Blaine smiled at how much this room was exactly like Kurt.

Turning around, he stared at the bed, which Kurt had crawled onto. The bed wasn't very wide or long, with pink silk draped across the posts as a canopy. He looked away again and returned his attention to a dresser, a white one with roses carved into it. It had a music box on top of it, and he carefully opened it.

A ballerina popped out, spinning and dancing to a soft tune. Below the ballerina was a pile of jewels, necklaces and earrings and bracelets. "That belonged to my _maman._" Kurt said softly, "My aunt let me keep it because she doesn't wear jewelry."

Blaine dug through the fragile chains and rings, then he closed the box and opened one of the drawers. He found a few outfits meant for a child, dresses and skirts with bows and frills. Closing that one, he slid another out and raised his brows at a couple of toys. He found a blue bunny and a baby doll, one with black curls and red lips. It looked like it might have been Snow White.

Below those were books, all of them in French. He took them out and flipped through them, pictures of old fairytales on some of the pages. He got to the last book and tilted his head, remembering that image of a Beast hovering over a rose in a glass. Putting the rest back, he held onto that story book and carried it over to Kurt.

The bed wasn't nearly big enough for the two of them, and Blaine had to take Kurt in his arms and lay him across his chest. "This book…" he opened it, trying to understand why he felt so attached to it.

"This was our story book." Kurt smiled at one of the pages, touching the worn out paper. It was obviously aged, a few of the pages starting to fall out and the corners yellowing, but he still seemed fond of it. "I used to read this to you when we were young." He flipped another page, "Yes… I remember. You got so excited to hear every chapter."

Blaine furrowed his brows, seeing brief images of a little boy sitting down in his lap and holding this book. "I think I… remember. It's been so long ago."

Kurt sighed and shook his head, "More than twelve years." Caressing Blaine's jaw, he twisted around and kissed his cheek, "I wish more than anything that we had stayed together. I had loved you, Blaine… I do remember that. You made my heart skip a beat."

Nuzzling Kurt with the tip of his nose, Blaine muttered, "But I'm happy I found you again. We got to fall in love with each other all over again, sweetheart." He held Kurt closer, glancing at the book again, "Can you read a chapter to me?"

Kurt turned the book to the first page, running his fingertips over the words. "Why don't you read to me?"

Frowning at the French words, Blaine shook his head, understanding only a few of them. "I can't. I don't know how."

"I can teach you." Kurt pointed at the first sentence, mouthing it very slowly. "_Il était une fois._"

Blaine lowered his brows, concentrating on the first word as he mumbled through what Kurt said. "_Il… Il ét—_" He got caught on the second word, and he felt Kurt squish his cheeks.

"Roll the word with your tongue." He murmured, giggling when Blaine tried but ended up garbling through something that sounded nothing like English or French.

Blaine tried one more time and finally managed to get it, and he read through the next sentence with a little struggle. Kurt seemed happy with his reading, even when he stumbled over words. He looked at the pictures as he turned each page, watching as Beauty fell in love with the Beast.


	5. Part of Your World

Author's note: This chapter pretty much has nothing going on. After the memory, all they do is go home. They'll still be in Ohio in the next chapter. I'm thinking that will last for at least a little while, and then they'll go to California. Just because I've been mentioning it a lot, I feel like I should say that I don't own Disney in any way. I just like it because Darren does and the princes and princesses are amazing ^_^ Prince Adam is the best! He's the reason I made Evie a redhead... which sort of bothers me now because I wrote another character named Evie and he's also a redhead. What. -_- So, yeah. That's it, I guess. More than 100,000 views on Out and almost 1,000 for Courage! You guys are seriously the best.

ObsessiveGleeSyndrome: You're just an awesome person! :D I think it's funny to look back at Out because Blaine was so different, especially in, like, chapter two :O Kurt never really changed... he's always been a bunny ^_^ I saw your review on Out and I was surprised because I'm not the biggest fan of my earlier chapters but I'm glad you like it! I can't even believe it was two years ago that I was writing chapter seven :O But good luck on your school reading adventures! I've never tried that one but if you like it let me know! I've always loved classics like Romeo & Juliet... it's just precious. And now I sound exactly like Kurt XD

deshaunwalker: No, they didn't bring him with them :( Poor Archer didn't get to go to France. Burt and Carole kept him while they were gone :) But thanks!

* * *

_Blaine lifted his heavy lids very slowly, opening his mouth in a quiet yawn. Stretching his muscles out, he rolled onto his stomach and heard a sigh from beside of him. His eyes snapped open and he jerked up, alerted into tension from his tightened jaw to his curled fist. His mouth softened at the sight of Kurt squished to the pillow, curled into a tiny ball by his hip. Immediately relaxing, Blaine laid back down and held a hand out, needing to feel how soft his skin was. He wanted to explore Kurt._

_Touching a pink cheek and seeing the tip of his nose twitch, Blaine leaned closer to him and let his eyes wander up and down that petite body. Kurt was very soft, slender with hips that curved only a little but would probably get wider with age, and long, full legs._

_His lashes fluttered when Blaine ran his fingertips over the hollow of his neck, obviously tickling him, and he tightened his little ball. Peeling the sheets away, Blaine stared at Kurt's nightgown, a thin one with bows at the hips. It was rumpled at his thighs and bottom, so Blaine gently smoothed it._

_Wrapping an arm around Kurt so he didn't get cold, Blaine held onto him and looked at his blond head. He realized that he cared so much for the little boy against his chest, maybe even loved him. He'd never had any friends, so he didn't know how others felt about their best friends, but he knew that this was different._

_He wanted to care for Kurt and protect him from those mean names, make him feel happy every time he opened those blue eyes, hear him read those fairy tales. But he knew he wasn't a prince, and he especially wasn't charming, and Kurt wanted his prince charming. He would never feel breathless because of Blaine, or get dizzy because of his smiles. Disappointed that he didn't deserve Kurt, Blaine frowned and moved his attention to Kurt's lips._

_They were very pouty, plump and full, just barely a darker pink than the light blush in his cheeks. Rubbing the bottom lip with his thumb, Blaine leaned down to gently kiss him. Kurt made a soft sound of surprise, his blond lashes batting as he awakened. "Oh!" Sleepily mewling, Kurt tucked himself under Blaine's chin and hummed as if trying to lull himself back to sleep._

_Blaine wasn't sure what to say or do, feeling slightly guilty that he'd stirred him but wanting to say goodbye before he left. Taking a deep breath, he slid slightly out from under Kurt, trying to right himself without discomforting him. He finally managed to set his feet on the floor, and he got up. He walked about three steps to the door when he heard Kurt's soft voice. "Why are you leaving?"_

_He looked over his shoulder, still clueless on what Kurt wanted from him. He'd never been to a sleepover before, and he didn't understand what else there was to do. Sticking his bottom lip out in a pout, Kurt murmured, "I'll miss you all day if you go… especially if you don't give me a hug before you do."_

_Blaine returned to the side of the bed, and Kurt held his arms out. Climbing back onto the fluffy mattress and sinking slightly in, Blaine pulled Kurt into his arms, "I can stay?"_

_"Isn't your belly rumbling?" Kurt seemed concerned, "Don't you want to eat breakfast with me?"_

_Blaine's stomach growled at the idea of a warm meal, something he wouldn't get at home. Sitting back on his heels, Blaine nodded, letting Kurt go when he started squirming from the bundle of blankets. "I'm going to make you a bowl of oatmeal." He scrambled off the bed and hurried over to the door, so Blaine followed on his heels as he went back upstairs._

_His dad was nowhere to be seen, so Blaine assumed he was sleeping in. Kurt scurried over to the kitchen, dragging Blaine out of looking around at his house in the light. When he pushed through the door, he found Kurt pulling a chair away from the kitchen table. Walking over to him, Blaine took it out of his arms and helped drag it over to the stove._

_Hopping onto the chair, Kurt lifted on his toes and searched through one of the cabinets for oatmeal and sugar. Blaine worried that he might fall so he held onto his hips. Kurt wobbled a little after he found the oats, and Blaine quickly pulled him against his chest to steady him. "Kurt, be careful."_

_Scooping Kurt up when he held his arms out, Blaine was relieved to set him on the floor. "Thank you for holding onto me." Kurt cooed, kissing Blaine's cheek before he turned to the stove and shook some oats into a bowl. "Can you please bring me the milk and two bowls and cups?"_

_Blaine left his side to look for what he wanted, and he found the milk in the door of the fridge. He brought it back to Kurt before he hunted through the cabinets. After he grabbed the bowls and cups, he carried them to Kurt and set them down. He watched him carefully pour milk onto the oats, stirring them every few seconds. "My _maman_ taught me how to make oatmeal the last time she visited. She says I'm the best oatmeal maker in all of Ohio." Lifting the milk over another bowl, Kurt said, "She and I also love warm milk. It's good if you want to be cheered up. Would you like to try some?"_

_Blaine stared at the bubbling milk as Kurt spooned some out into the cups only a few minutes later, letting it just barely get hot. He handed a cup to Blaine, sipping on his own and licking his lips in delight. "It's so yummy."_

_Blaine took a drink from his cup, surprised at how rich the milk tasted. He kept slurping as Kurt turned back to the oatmeal and sprinkled in sugar. "Sweet oatmeal is the best." Kurt told him, dipping a spoon into the thick goo and holding it up to Blaine's lips. "You can be my taste tester."_

_Sucking the oats off the spoon, Blaine closed his eyes in pleasure. He'd never tasted food so good. "This is amazing."_

_Giggling, Kurt finished stirring and scooped a few bites into both bowls. He carried his food back into the living room, where he plopped in front of the TV and pushed Snow White into the player. Blaine sat down beside him, not able to take his lips off the spoon. "I'll have to learn more recipes for you." He said around the top of his bowl. "I love to cook… but everything I make comes out lumpy or sticky. But my _maman_ says I'll be the best cook ever."_

_Blaine smiled at him, finishing off his bowl in just a few minutes to show him how much he liked it. He wanted more of it, and he was glad when Kurt handed him what he couldn't stomach. They sat in silence for a while, their eyes on the screen—well, Kurt's were—as they relaxed after they'd filled their bellies._

_Kurt was just as enthralled by Snow White as he was by Sleeping Beauty, gasping when the Evil Queen appeared and giggling at the silly dwarves. Scooting closer to Blaine when the prince jumped over the wall to see Snow White, he rested his cheek on his shoulder, nuzzling him very lovingly. It seemed like only seconds passed by before the movie ended, and then Kurt was moving too suddenly. Blaine wanted to hold onto him, and he reached out for Kurt._

_Kurt let him slide their fingers together, and he said softly, "Do you still want to go home?"_

_Shaking his head and trying to tell Kurt that he never wanted to go home, Blaine muttered, "Can you read to me?"_

_"Oh…" Kurt seemed almost disappointed at that, and there was a sudden sadness to his eyes. "Well… I was thinking we could read another day."_

_Blaine was horrified, "Why? Do you want me to leave?"_

_"Oh, no! It's not that at all." Biting his bottom lip, Kurt looked at his toes, wiggling and curling them, "It's just… our story is almost over and I don't want it to end yet. You see, I think that's why you like when I visit you. And if I can't read to you… you won't want me anymore."_

_Blaine's mouth fell open in shock, and at first he wasn't sure what to say. Kurt looked very hurt, his bottom lip pushed out and his eyes hooded by half closed lids. Scooting closer to Kurt, Blaine wrapped an arm around him and slid his fingers under his chin, making him look up to meet his gentle gaze. "I like you." He said, wanting him to understand how much he meant to him. He had no idea how to do that, though. "I love our stories… I love when you read to me… but I… I love you, too."_

_Kurt's eyes opened wide, "You do?"_

_Nodding and running a hand through his hair in his nervousness, he muttered, "We can read another after this." He reached behind him for the bag that he'd dragged down with him, and he slid their story book out of it. He put it in Kurt's lap, "Please?"_

_Smiling, Kurt snuggled into Blaine's side and opened their story book, but before he started reading, he turned his head and kissed Blaine's cheek. "I love you." He whispered on Blaine's hot skin that he was sure turned as red as a cherry. He looked at the page again and read, "Beauty became very anxious when she found out that her father was sick. She knew he needed her, but she was the Beast's prisoner. She couldn't possibly leave. But, as the days passed, the dread got worse and worse, until one night she escaped while the Beast was sleeping!"_

_Blaine was startled by the new turn in the story. He knew only bad things could come of Beauty leaving the Beast. "While she cared for her father, the Beast became very depressed. He sat at his window, waiting and hoping for her to come back to him. But she never did. And, months later, on one horrible night when the Beast was at his weakest, the hunter appeared at his castle and attacked him."_

_Closing the book, Kurt glanced at Blaine, whose eyes were huge and mouth was gaping. "One more chapter!" He begged, making Kurt giggle at him. He already knew how it ended, or else he might have agreed with him. "Does Beauty come back to him? Does he get killed?"_

_Kurt smiled behind his fingers, "I've never seen you so enthusiastic, Blaine Anderson. You'll have to see me tomorrow if you want to know how it ends."_

_"You want me to come over?"_

_"If you'd like that." Kurt put the book back into Blaine's bag, then turned to him and murmured, "You can bring another book. I'll read that after we finish this one. I'll make you a nice dinner and a warm dessert."_

_Grinning, Blaine nuzzled Kurt's neck, "I want that." He pulled slightly away and stared at Kurt, his blue eyes dazed from Blaine's affections. "I want to spend time with you, Kurt." Looking over his shoulder at the door, he sighed heavily, "But I should go home before my dad gets home from work and notices I'm gone."_

_"Do you have to?" The words were breathy as Kurt purred, rubbing against Blaine's face. "I'll miss you so much. Come back as soon as you can."_

_Blaine got to his feet and bent over Kurt for a quick kiss, "I'll be back tomorrow night." Hurrying to the door and feeling Kurt hold onto him for as long as possible, Blaine opened it and hesitated to leave, needing to be with Kurt. He was becoming an obsession of Blaine's._

_"Goodbye." Kurt said sadly, looking just as sorrowful as Blaine._

* * *

Blaine carried the last of their bags out to the taxi, shutting the trunk after he threw all of them in. He stood back for a moment, staring at the trees guarding the house from the rest of the world, then at the tall home they'd stayed in for the past week. He was a little disappointed to see all of it go because he'd been having the best of time with his new husband, but he was relieved to be heading home. He'd be glad to hold his little ones again and kiss their dimpled hands and cheeks.

Going back into the darkened house, he found Kurt falling asleep on the couch, his head bobbing as his eyes closed. "Kurt…" he said softly, walking over to his husband and sliding his arms under his thighs and back. "Kurt… it's time to go, sweetheart."

Kurt made a sleepy sound and tucked his head under Blaine's chin, clinging to him as he carried him outside. "You can sleep on the way home." Blaine told him, kicking the door shut behind them. He crossed the lawn and climbed inside the taxi, keeping Kurt against his chest.

Blaine looked up front and mumbled where they were going, thinking he got the word right. The clock on the radio showed that it was about three in the morning, and he yawned just at the thought of waking up so early. It was going to be a long day, but they would make it back to Lima before night.

The trip was quiet, as Kurt snoozed for most of both plane rides and Blaine got in a few naps here and there. They only stopped between switching flights to eat dinner at a restaurant in the airport.

When they finally stepped off their last flight, both of them were exhausted. Blaine called a taxi to take them to Burt's place, and by the time it stopped in front of the house, it was almost eight.

Unstrapping himself, Blaine got out of the car and went around to the back to collect their luggage. He threw most of it over his shoulder and dragged the rest of it behind himself, then walked to Kurt's side and helped him out. "Come on, little love. I know you're tired."

They quietly wandered up the walkway and opened the door without knocking, seeing a few lamps on in the living room. They heard movement from the kitchen, and the door opened to reveal Burt. He scratched his head at the sight of them, "Hey, guys. How was the trip? You look worn out."

Setting the bags down, Blaine took Kurt in his arms and guided him deeper into the house, "We've been traveling all day." He said, brushing a blond hair off Kurt's forehead. "Lay your head on my shoulder, honey."

Burt smirked at his son, "Your old room is ready. Just be quiet heading up there… the kids are asleep. Carole put them down two hours ago." He glanced at the stairway, "You've done a really great job with them, Blaine. Make sure to bring them back to their grandpa and grandma more often."

Blaine smiled, glad that everything had gone well. "Thanks, Burt." He almost lifted Kurt off his toes and walked over to the stairway. After he got to the top of the steps and approached the closed door, he put Kurt down and gently rubbed his shoulders. "You can lay down in here, baby."

Carefully opening the door, Blaine glanced inside at the darkened room, hearing soft breathing and blankets rustling. He stepped inside and took Kurt's hand, leading him over to the bed. Sitting down on the edge of it, Blaine peeled the blankets back and gazed at two little bodies completely wrapped around each other.

Their faces were squished together, Archer's dark curls draped slightly across Hunter's hollow cheek. Leaning down, Blaine ran his fingers through the stray curls and pushed them back into place. At the feel of Blaine's warm fingertips brushing his soft skin, Archer tightened his tiny ball, making Hunter stir. Hunter smacked his lips and nuzzled even closer to Archer, stretching his little muscles.

A pair of brown eyes opened, and then blue. They both seemed confused at first, grabbing onto each other for comfort as they wondered what had awoken them. Turning his head, Hunter squeaked at the sight of Blaine, and Blaine smiled at him. "Daddy's home, sweethearts."

Archer struggled to lift his head at the sound of Blaine's voice, and he held his arms up. "Daddy!"

Blaine picked Archer up, gently bouncing him to soothe him, "Shh… I'm here. I brought both of you gifts, but you can see them in the morning. Go back to sleep, sweet beauty. Daddy won't let you go."

Archer seemed to like that idea, curling up against Blaine's chest and closing his eyes again. Crawling toward Kurt, who had mostly woken up but was still sleepily blinking, Hunter laid down in his lap and stared up at him. "Hi, Hunter." Kurt cooed softly, bending down to give him a kiss.

Two little birds suddenly chirped at them, and Kurt looked up to find Pavarotti and Everett waddling off the pillow to greet them. He gave both of them kisses, letting them climb onto his shoulders.

Reaching out for Kurt, Blaine cupped his cheek and kissed him very softly, "Get some sleep, baby. You need rest."

Kurt nodded and curled up on the pillow, asleep in just moments, with Hunter still bundled up in his arms. Dropping beside of his husband, Blaine set Archer on his chest and watched him sleep, his red lips parted and his black lashes batting against white cheeks. Blaine remembered how Kurt looked when he was so little, so pretty and perfect. He thought Archer was perfect, from his deep blue eyes to his rose red lips.


	6. Some Day My Prince Will Come

Author's note: This chapter was kind of hard to write :/ I'm not sure if I really like it, but I guess it's okay. Not a lot is going on yet. Next chapter Blaine might visit Santana... I'm not sure yet. That's all I have as far as spoilers... the chapters will probably look a lot like this one for at least a little while. This one took so long to write because yesterday I went to the zoo with one of my friends before he leaves for college and then I was really tired from that, and I'm just now finishing up my editing. I probably won't be able to write today because I'm going to the fair with my friend and I'm leaving in about three hours to pick her up and then she's sleeping over at my house. So, yeah. I don't know when my next chapter will be up... at the latest, two days from now. So... I guess that's it. Thanks to everyone for new favorites and follows!

Blainey: Blaine just worries too easily about what could happen if he makes Karofsky angry. The police eventually get involved, just not because of Blaine. And, yeah, I thought the same thing about Rachel when I was writing WSS :P

Kat440: :D I just think baby!Klaine is precious. Little!Kurt is the cutest thing I've ever written. Thanks! And it's no problem, I love to write all the time :)

deshaunwalker: Me, too! I love Hunter and Archer. I can't wait until they get older and can talk to each other :P They're going to have the oddest conversations.

kathrynevie21: I love writing baby!Klaine :) They're just like tiny versions of how they are when they're older :P Baby!Kurt is adorable to me. I've been trying to make Keegan a much more important character, but it's been hard without him knowing English. I know how you feel about leaving for college. I can't wait to get my senior year over with. I basically based Blaine's parents off my own, and Blaine and I share way too much in common. It'd be nice if everyone could have the life that Kurt has, but unfortunately it seems like most people live the way Blaine does. But, anyway, yeah, I'm excited about my college choice. I don't know if you've ever heard of Bowling Green, but it has an amazing creative writing program, as far as I know, and I've met a famous author from there, which is cool :) So, I'm hoping a degree will help me get published one day!

* * *

_Blaine stalked up to Kurt's house with his hands shoved in his pockets, his fingertips blue from the chilly air biting through his heavy jacket. Stopping by the door, he lifted his hand to knock, but dropped it again when he heard the loveliest sound. He pressed his cheek to the door and listened to what sounded like a bell ringing, so high pitched that it couldn't have been real._

_He made out a few words, something about a kiss from a prince, and he realized that Kurt was singing. He'd never heard him sing before, but it was so beautiful. Closing his eyes, Blaine tried to imagine the shapes of Kurt's mouth as the notes danced off his tongue. He reached for the door handle and twisted it just a little, cracking open the door enough for him to see a sliver of the living room._

_Kurt was sitting on the couch, his legs curled underneath him, and his hands were at his hair. He untied a little bow in the blond locks, setting the ribbon aside. His mouth was perfectly round as he hummed, the pretty noises falling from his small tongue almost effortlessly._

_Blaine took a step to the left to get a better view of his little body, wrapped up in a pink nightgown the color of his blushing cheeks, and he winced when a stick cracked under his foot. Startled, Kurt looked up, his eyes very round. "Oh!"_

_Pushing the door so Kurt could see him, Blaine stumbled backwards, feeling so embarrassed that he wanted to run away. "I… I'm sorry—"_

_He was shocked when he heard Kurt's patting feet on the carpet, and then a small body was in his arms. Holding onto Kurt as he hugged him, Blaine muttered, "I-I thought your voice was beautiful… I wanted to see you sing. I didn't mean to frighten you."_

_"I'm fine." Kurt tried to soothe him, rubbing his cheek against Blaine's neck. "I'm so happy to see you!" Laying his palm in Blaine's hand, Kurt tugged him deeper into the house. "You really thought it was beautiful?"_

_Blaine nodded, trying not to look at Kurt because his cheeks were still as red as apples._

_"That's so sweet of you." Kurt hurried away from him and went over to the kitchen, so Blaine followed on his heels. "My daddy says I have the voice of my_ maman. _I love when she sings to me."_

_Leaning against the wall as Kurt looked through the cabinets, Blaine sniffed what was coming from the stove and his mouth watered. His stomach noisily growled, which made him even redder in his cheeks and neck. He wondered how many times he could look like a fool in front of Kurt._

_Kurt pulled out a few bowls, "I'll just be a minute getting dinner ready. I made soup, and for dessert a chocolate soufflé with strawberry sauce. I hope you like it. I've only made a few soufflés and my _maman_ always helped me."_

_Blaine knew he would like the food if Kurt made it. Putting a hand over his rumbling stomach to quiet it, he looked around and noticed that the house was silent besides Kurt stirring the soup. "Why are you alone?"_

_"Oh," Kurt sprinkled a spice into the soup, "my daddy left just a few minutes ago to watch a football game next door. He usually doesn't leave me by myself but I told him you were coming over. He trusts you to take care of me." He dipped a spoon into the bowl, "Would you like to taste it?"_

_Blaine stepped toward Kurt and licked the spoon, swallowing very thickly, "Really good."_

_Smiling, Kurt turned away again and began filling two smaller bowls with the thick liquid. "It's a French recipe. It uses the seeds of a flower only found in France. My _maman_ told me that if I eat enough of it, I'll be as pretty as a flower one day."_

_Quirking half a smile at Kurt as he carried the bowls into the living room, Blaine kept on his heels, getting a whiff of a sweet perfume. Kurt sat down in front of the TV, an almost silent movie—Blaine thought it was Cinderella—playing. Dropping beside of him, Blaine leaned slightly closer, feeling his warmth as their shoulders and thighs brushed._

_Handing him a bowl, Kurt shyly smiled at him and his cheeks brightened, "You seem very different tonight. You're much closer to me than you've ever been."_

_Blaine shook his head, shocked that he wasn't scrambling for words. He felt a little nervous, but all of that went away when Kurt batted his lashes. Cupping Kurt's pink cheek and stroking it with his thumb, he said softly, "It's just… you're so pretty." He moved closer to him and nuzzled him with the tip of his nose, hearing him purr under his affections. "You fascinate me more and more every time I see you."_

_Kurt hummed his approval, smiling against Blaine's heavy curls. He stroked them with his fingers, "Oh, Blaine… you take my breath away when you say things like that." Scooting into Blaine's lap, Kurt happily stayed in his arms, melted against his chest. His toes curled when Blaine touched the small of his back, rubbing gentle circles, painting hot fire with his fingertips. Kurt had never known such feelings before._

_The only thing that awoke him from his sleepy daze was his stomach rumbling, and he remembered the forgotten soup. Blaine looked down at him, concern in his eyes. "You're hungry." He knew he had to move Kurt from his lap or else the soup would never get eaten—as good as it was—but it was torture to lift Kurt and put him down by his knee._

_Kurt turned away and reached for the cooling bowls, finishing his soup after a few sips from his spoon. Lifting onto his toes—Blaine noticed that he was a little more wobbly than before—Kurt touched Blaine's shoulder as he walked by him, a thrilling touch that made Blaine's skin so hot. "I'll read to you after we go to bed. But let me get the desserts first."_

_Blaine put his mouth on his spoon, drinking another bite. He felt so lightheaded, and the soup helped to stir him. Relieved when Kurt returned a minute later, he reached for the chocolate cake that Kurt held out for him. Red sauce dripped off the edges, and strawberries were gathered around the chocolate._

_Taking a bite, Blaine made a low sound of pleasure, the cake so rich and moist on his tongue. When he opened his eyes, he found Kurt looking at him, his eyes wide, "Do you like it?" He said softly, obviously very worried._

_"Kurt, you are the best cook." Blaine was glad they'd turned the subject from his obsessions with Kurt. He didn't want Kurt to know that his heart throbbed whenever he batted those blond lashes or that he was addicted to his sweet scent. He'd told Blaine he loved him, but he knew it wasn't the same because Kurt wanted a prince charming… and Blaine wasn't._

_Smiling behind his fingers, Kurt nibbled on a piece of sweet chocolate, "That's very kind of you to say."_

_They finished their desserts in silence, Blaine staring at Kurt from under his dark lashes and Kurt hiding behind his plate so Blaine couldn't see the brightest blush in his cheeks. After they were done and they put their plates away, Kurt padded over to Blaine's bag and patted his fingertips together. "Did you bring a new book for us to read?"_

_Bending over his bag, Blaine took out a thicker book and handed it to Kurt, who ran his fingertips over the front. "Romeo and Juliet." He said, getting back up._

_"Oh!" Kurt hugged the book to his chest, "Yes, I know this story! It's so romantic. I'll be happy to read this one to you."_

_Blaine grabbed their other book and carried it over to the stairs, following Kurt down the steps. He kept a hand on his back as they approached the bed. Kurt burrowed under the blankets first, and Blaine slid in beside of him, taking him into his arms. It was comfortable, but still very exciting being so close to Kurt, and something Blaine could have gotten used to every night._

_He gave their book to Kurt, who snuggled into his chest and turned to the last chapter. The page showed a picture of Beast collapsed on the ground, blood trickling out of a wound in his chest. "Beauty came just in time to rescue the Beast." He said softly, his eyes glowing as he traced the words with his fingertips. "He was revived by her kiss, and he told her he loved her, but he knew she could never love him."_

_Kurt frowned at that, displeased that the Beast had no idea how much he meant to Beauty. "But she did love him… very much. And it was her love that changed him back into a man. He was slowly made better by a beautiful thing… and they lived happily ever after."_

_Closing the book, Kurt sighed heavily and wiggled deeper into their bundle of blankets. Blaine stared at the book, his fingers idly stroking Kurt's hair. "Did you like it?" Kurt whispered, his voice like silk, sleepy and quiet. "I think it's a lovely story."_

_"Beautiful thing." Blaine repeated, looking down at Kurt and swallowing thickly when he saw him batting his lashes at him. His eyes were so blue… too beautiful. "You're a beautiful thing. Beauty was Beast's beautiful thing… you could be mine."_

_"I could?" Kurt shyly giggled, turning his chin to hide his blushing face. Blaine slid his fingers underneath Kurt's chin and tilted his head so he could meet his sparkling eyes. "Oh, Blaine… do you think we could ever love each other the way Beauty and her Beast do? I've never felt this way before."_

_"I could love you that way." Blaine's answer obviously bothered Kurt because the smile on his lips fell. He squeezed Blaine's arms. "But I don't know if you'll love me like that. You say you want a prince… but I'm not."_

_"You could be my prince." Kurt moved a little so he could press his lips to Blaine's cheek. "You're very charming… you make me smile and giggle. And you know what happens after the princess finds her prince? There's a pretty wedding before the end of the movie. You could marry me… if you asked me like a gentleman."_

_Blaine raised his eyebrows at Kurt, who looked both hopeful and content in Blaine's arms. His eyes glittered under the dull lamp, shining like sapphires. "I'd like to marry you." He muttered lowly, and Kurt sweetly smiled, tucking his head under Blaine's chin and purring. "Would you like to marry me?"_

_"Very much." Kurt peeped, kissing Blaine's jaw. "But we're too young now… my daddy and _maman_ wouldn't approve of it yet. But one day they would… they'd think you'd make a wonderful husband for me." Suddenly dropping his shoulders in a pout, he said sadly, "That day won't come soon enough."_

_"Don't be too upset." Blaine pleaded, pecking Kurt's forehead with his lips. "It will come… and I'll marry you. For now I'm happy being your…" He hesitated to finish his sentence, not sure what to call the two of them._

_"Your true love." Kurt whispered and looked up again, his eyes still glowing so bright. "Could you give me a goodnight kiss before I fall asleep?"_

_Turning his head, Blaine kissed Kurt's pink mouth, his lips so warm and soft. Blaine never wanted to lift his head. Kurt sleepily batted his lashes and curled up on Blaine's chest, "I'll read Romeo and Juliet to you in the morning… after we have breakfast. I love you, Blaine."_

_"I love you, too." Blaine said against his tiny ear, listening to him hum as he fell asleep. Again, Blaine got very little sleep with Kurt wrapped around him._

* * *

Blaine rolled over as he stretched his limp muscles, making a low noise when he almost fell off the edge of the bed. Feeling something pressed to his back, he slowly turned over and cracked his lids, blinded by the bright light shining through the window. Archer was squished to his back, his wet cheek on his shoulder blade as he slobbered and drooled.

Carefully turning over in what little room he had, he lifted his head and couldn't help but smirk at the rest of his family, Kurt curled up on the other end of the bed with his arm draped over Hunter, who was burrowed into his chest. The bed was too small for the four of them to be side by side, and if Blaine moved only an inch, he would end up on the floor.

He swung his legs off the bed and lifted his arms above his head, quietly yawning. He was still cramped from all of that traveling, but he knew a warm breakfast and a cup of coffee would ease his sore muscles. Turning back around, he bent over Archer and scooped his snoozing baby up, hearing him squeak as he stirred. "Shh…" he cradled him against his chest, pressing kisses to his damp cheeks and chin. "Let me make you breakfast and get you a bath."

Pinning Archer to his shoulder, he reached down for Hunter, sliding him away from Kurt's chest. He also grunted in disapproval, squeezing his eyes shut as he shook his fists at Blaine. "I know you're tired, but your daddy has a lot to do today." He gave Hunter a kiss, but that didn't soothe his small frown.

He walked over to the other side of the bed and pulled the blankets up to Kurt's rising and dropping shoulders, then leaned down and kissed the corner of his mouth. Kurt's lips curved at the warmth and he searched for Blaine, his arms wrapping around a pillow and hugging it. "I love you." Blaine whispered against his cheek, pressing one more kiss to his pale skin before he stood upright again.

He went into their bathroom and shut the door behind himself so he wasn't too noisy for Kurt. Putting the babies on the counter, he turned a faucet on the tub and filled the bath with warm water. He returned to his babies and unbuttoned them from their pajamas, letting Archer play with a few of his buttons because he wanted to help. After he slid them out of their nightclothes, he scooped both of them up and carried them over to the bath.

He set both of them in the water and soaped their hair, gently rinsing it from their dark hair. Archer played in the bubbles that ran down his pale body, splashing Hunter with the soapy water. Once he was done washing them, he picked both of them up and dried them, their hair still dripping after he rubbed a towel over it a few times.

He pulled their clothes over their heads and kissed both of them again, "Both of you can go downstairs and play while I make breakfast, but be quiet. You don't want to wake your _père._"

Taking Hunter's hand, Archer scurried away from Blaine, pulling his closest friend behind him. Blaine got up and drained the bath, staying in there to change his clothes. He yanked on a dark shirt and jeans, then scrubbed his teeth and spat into the sink.

Once he was done getting ready, he left the bathroom almost silently. Kurt was still sleeping on the pillows, his plump lips parted and his lashes fluttering as he dreamed. Smiling at his husband, he snuck out of the room and went downstairs. He could hear voices in the kitchen, which made it clear that he wasn't the first one awake.

His babies were chasing each other in the living room, happily pouncing on each other and giggling every time one caught the other. Glancing toward the kitchen where he heard Carole and Burt talking, he turned his head back to his babies and was startled to see another figure in the room.

Keegan was stretched out on the couch, dressed in a light blue shirt and jeans. He had a glass of orange juice in one hand. His eyes were on the TV, which was showing what looked like a football game. He didn't seem to have noticed Blaine, which gave him the chance to figure out that blank expression. Blaine noticed, for the first time, how distant Keegan's eyes were, the turquoise dull. He was staring at the TV, but he didn't seem to be watching it. His lip was caught between his teeth, white from being chewed for too long.

Blaine knew too much about him, and he knew what he was really looking at. It bothered him that Keegan still seemed too wounded, so distracted, once he actually got a good look at him, but then he figured that he would probably look the same after seven years of not having Kurt.

Keegan suddenly moved, his eyes flicking to the floor, and a small smile tugged at his pink lips. Blaine wondered why, and he followed his gaze to Archer, who was holding out one of his toys for him. Taking it from Archer, Keegan grinned at him, murmuring something so soft that Blaine couldn't hear. Archer hopped a little and reached up for Keegan, who slid an arm under his bottom and lifted him onto his chest. Hunter was quickly at the edge of the couch, wanting to be near Archer.

Taking a deep breath, Blaine turned away and headed for the kitchen. He knew that Keegan would take good care of his babies. He pushed through the door and found Carole at the stove, stirring a pot of something that smelled very good. Burt was sitting at the kitchen table, his nose buried in the newspaper.

Carole looked over her shoulder at the noise he must have made and smiled at him, leaving her spot to approach him. She smoothed a wrinkle in his shirt and kissed his eyebrow, "Well, look who it is. Aren't you so handsome? You got a little tan in France. I know how much you like to cook but I decided to make breakfast for the family. A little treat after you had such a long trip. I'm making oatmeal… it seems to be those kids' favorite."

"Thanks, Carole." Blaine was a little relieved to have a break and relax, and he pulled a chair out at the table. "It smells great."

"Mm hm." She returned to the stove and kept stirring. "I added a little extra cinnamon. But, honey, tell us how the trip was. Did you like it in France?"

"It was beautiful there." Blaine said sincerely, getting back up to make himself a cup of coffee. "Kurt took me around the town where he grew up… it really meant a lot. We saw the Eiffel Tower the day before we left."

"Did he?" Carole seemed touched by that, "That Kurt is such a sweetie. His past and family mean so much to him. Laurice promised us that she'd take the entire family to France one day. I'll look forward to that."

Burt finally put the newspaper down, "So, now that you're back, what are you planning on doing? You seemed pretty lost up until your wedding."

"I know what I want." Blaine quietly replied, leaning over the counter as the dark liquid dripped into a mug. "I'm taking Kurt to California. It's where my job is. He said he'll be happy there… and if he ever wants to go back on Broadway, I'll go with him to France. The Warblers won't mind. They've told me that."

"Good for you." That was all Burt said on the matter, but Blaine knew that his certainty in his future meant so much more to him.

"But you're staying in Ohio for the babies' first birthday." Carole told him, waving her spoon at him as if to threaten him. "You won't take those babies from their grandma on their birthday."

Grinning at Carole, Blaine pulled the mug off the coffee maker and poured it into a cup. "I'll keep them here if that's what you want. I'll call Wes later today to let him know. I had to stay anyway because I need to see Santana before I go back." He wondered what news Santana would have for him, if she knew anything about Karofsky or if something had happened with Brittany. Thinking about his old friends, he was suddenly filled with dread and he lowered his head. "Uh… where is Finn?" He didn't want to be caught off guard if he suddenly came in, or worse, if he wanted to talk to him. He had no idea what he could say to fix things.

"He moved out." Carole sighed heavily, shaking her head. "He wanted to live on campus of his acting school. He's been acting so funny lately. Oh, well. You know Finn. He'll blurt anything if you ask."

Turning his head, Blaine decided to stay silent. He didn't want to admit exactly how well he knew Finn. His head jerked up at the sound of high pitched squealing, and his brows lowered when Keegan came in, babies hanging from his shoulder and leg. "Archer, Hunter…" he said quietly, watching Keegan tug Archer from his shoulder, "come here, sweethearts."

When Archer tangled his fingers in Keegan's blond locks, Keegan chuckled and patted his bottom. "No…" he struggled to say, thinking through his next few words, "it's okay."

"Keegan loves the children. They're fond of calling him their uncle. Besides, Kurt was just a child when they met." Carole put in, pouring oatmeal into two bowls. "Are you two hungry? I made enough for both of you to have three bowls."

Blaine was curious about how Keegan met Kurt, but he was unable to ask him. While Keegan put the babies down at the table, Blaine leaned against the counter and glimpsed at the doorway when he heard soft footsteps. Kurt sleepily walked in, his tiny fists rubbing his eyes and a yawn on his lips. "Oh, honey…" Carole said, going over to Kurt and taking him into her arms, "you look so tired. Do you want some breakfast?"

Opening one eye, Kurt nodded and wandered over to Blaine, laying his cheek on his chest. Wrapping Kurt in his arms, Blaine gently rubbed his back and muttered, "Sweetheart… how did you meet Keegan?"

Kurt opened both eyes at that, a look of worry on his face. Burt stopped drinking his coffee, his narrow eyes lifting over the edge of his paper. Neither Carole nor Keegan reacted, Carole still cleaning up from breakfast and Keegan, who couldn't understand Blaine, mumbling to Hunter.

Burt finally cleared his throat and said, "Kurt was eight… it was right after his mom's death. Me and him were visiting her… I left for just a second to get something from the car. Keegan's parents had just died in a car crash… the roads were slick. Keegan was with them when it happened… but it's a good thing he was unharmed. He was about twelve. He saw Kurt by himself… he was crying… so he went over to him to comfort him. They've been best friends ever since."

Blaine held Kurt tighter, glancing at Keegan again. He seemed too perfect, from his blond curls to his turquoise eyes, to ever go through anything bad, but it didn't seem like Kurt could feel pain, either. A hand patting his stomach pulled him from his thoughts, and he looked down at Hunter, who wanted to be held. Letting go of Kurt, Blaine knelt down in front of Hunter and held his hand out for Archer.

Wiggling off the chair, Archer scurried over to Blaine and bounced on his toes. "Daddy?"

Feeling Kurt's hand on his back, Blaine reached in his back pocket and pulled out two fragile chains. He held them out for the babies to see, both of them tiny lockets in the shapes of hearts, just like Kurt's. One of them was dark blue and had an _H+A_ on the front with a little picture of Archer curled up on Hunter's chest in it. He gave that one to Hunter, then let Archer hold the brown one with an _A+H_ on the front. His had a picture of the two of them staring at each other.

"I want both of you to keep these." He took Archer's necklace and looped it around his neck, clasping the chain. Reaching for Hunter's to pin his, Blaine said, "I had these designed in France for the two of you. I'm giving them to you so that you know… no matter what happens… both of you will always love each other."

He tried not to think of what was hiding behind the _no matter what happens, _if Karofsky ever took Hunter away from their family or when Cooper came back for Archer. Focusing on his family, Blaine stroked their dark hair and pulled both of them to his chest, "Promise me you'll always love each other."

"Promise." Archer whispered, opening his locket and looking at the picture.

Holding his arms out for Archer, Hunter hugged him very tightly, "Love you, Archer."

"I love you, too." Archer pecked Hunter's cheek with a kiss, and Blaine smiled at him, running his fingers through his curls.

Letting the two of them go, Blaine sat back on his heels and glanced up at Kurt, who was smiling at the babies. He looked very pleased with their affections, his cheeks soft and his dimples popped. Blaine slid his fingers through Kurt's, squeezing his hand. Kurt could feel the roughness on his skin, the spots he'd ripped apart, but he still lovingly stroked his palm.


	7. Bruises

Author's note: Hi, guys! I'm so sorry about the wait on this chapter. A lot of unexpected stuff came up and then I had extremely bad writer's block, which is why this chapter sounds pretty bad. My friend asked me to go to this waterpark with her and we stayed there for one night, and as soon as I got home I tried writing this but it didn't really work. Santana's a very hard character for me to write in the first place, but it was even worse in this one because of what they were talking about. It explains exactly what's going on with Brittany, and I don't know if all of Brittany's medical problems are even realistic. I feel like the next chapter should be easier because it's going to be Kurt and Blaine again. Just so everyone knows, I've decided to wait on the child abuse scenes, at least for a little while. From here until the end of the story the chapters should be a lot darker. Some may not focus on that, but none of them will be completely happy. About baby!Klaine's new story, I have absolutely no ownership over Romeo & Juliet. I just think it's one of the best love stories ever written. The only reason I'm changing it from its original version is because I kind of want it to foreshadow a plot I'm going to be using in the future. I think that's it... so, thanks to everyone for added favorites and follows! You guys are wonderful!

P.S. One of my awesome friends drew pictures of what I think Archer and Hunter will look like when they're older. The links to those are on my profile, and then my other friend asked me to make a personality test for this story because she thought it'd be funny so I did that with the help of my Beta. I don't know if you guys want to take it... I've never made one before so it's not great... it was actually pretty hard to do. But, I don't know, I'll post the link to that on my profile.

kathrynevie21: I'm glad you liked the chapter! That was one of my favorites from Courage. I love writing Keegan because he's so sweet :) Yeah, I'm not expecting much out of my senior year. My high school isn't that great and the people there are even worse. I really wanted to go out of state for college and I looked into New York art schools a lot but everything's too expensive. But I think I'll be happy at Bowling Green just because of the writing program... I'll just be stuck in Ohio for a few more years, I guess. But good luck to your sister on her search!

deshaunwalker: Thanks! :)

ObsessiveGleeSyndrome: :D I love fluffy chapters! And I love the Despicable Me reference! AHHHHHH! Unfortunately this is not a fluffy chapter :( Lol you have no idea how many death threats Karofsky has gotten already :P Maybe some day... And Cooper doesn't want to hurt Blaine but you'll have to wait and see how he handles Archer :D Oh... um... by the way... I think I might have sent a message to you that was supposed to go to someone else? Not that I don't want your help with my story! If you ever want to give me an idea or something, that'd be awesome! :D

Okay, I'm done with this awkward author's note. I'm going to start writing chapter eight now! :)

* * *

_"Blaine." Blaine felt a light patting on his cheek, cool fingertips brushing his skin. Grumbling between slightly parted lips, he flipped onto his side and buried his face in the pillow. He heard a huffing noise and soon the tapping was on his shoulder, "Oh, Blaine? You're very difficult."_

_A small smile curved his lips at Kurt's frustrations with him, but he kept his eyes closed. He felt Kurt crawl over to his other side and press their noses, "Please, wake up. I'll get lonely without anyone to talk to."_

_His smirk widened, and in a quick move, he toppled Kurt to the bed. Kurt softly squeaked in surprise, pressing his hands to Blaine's shoulders to keep from being squished. Blaine grinned down at him, his cheeks flushed and his lips parted, his eyes as round as saucers. Realizing Blaine wasn't upset, Kurt happily wiggled and looped his arms around his neck, "I'm happy you're awake! I had to spend a half an hour all by myself while you snoozed!" He stuck his bottom lip out in a pout._

_"I'm sorry." Blaine said softly, leaning down until the tips of their noses brushed. Kurt's eyes were so blue, their lashes brushing with every blink. When Kurt bashfully batted his lashes and tried to turn his head, Blaine lowered his brows, "Don't be shy. I think your eyes are beautiful."_

_A nervous giggle slipped from Kurt's pink lips, "I think your eyes are very lovely, too. I've never seen eyes like yours… so golden. You're handsome." Sitting up a little when Blaine moved off of him, Kurt turned away and brushed his fingers through his hair, primping himself so no stray locks were hanging across his forehead. He suddenly remembered something and his little jaw dropped, his mouth perfectly round, "Oh! I almost forgot. I made you breakfast. I love breakfast-in-bed. My _maman_ would always make it for me if she was home. You get to be so cozy and munch on sweet treats."_

_Blaine raised his brows at Kurt, wondering why he never said anything less than cheerful. When he scampered off the bed and slid the tray of food off the dresser, Blaine sat back on the pillows and muttered, "Why are you always so… happy, Kurt? Don't you ever have a bad day?"_

_"Well, of course." Kurt said, climbing back onto the bed with Blaine's help. "Everyone does. But if you're sad about it… then nothing makes it better. And things can always be better if you let them." Snuggling against Blaine, Kurt picked up a muffin and nibbled on the top of it. He smiled at him, "Besides… it's very easy to be happy when I have you."_

_Blaine swallowed thickly, then he laid his cheek on Kurt's blond hair and kissed the top of his head. "Can you read to me… please? I want to hear the story."_

_"I'd love to." Kurt murmured softly, reaching for a book on the table beside of the bed. He pulled it onto his lap and opened to the first chapter, and after a few moments of looking at the words, he frowned and tapped his chin. "Oh, dear. I can only read a few of these words. You see, my _maman_ taught me how to read in French when I was just a baby. My daddy had to work and couldn't teach me very much English." Holding the book out to Blaine, he said, "Maybe you could read to me. I'd love to listen."_

_"Okay." Blaine took the book from Kurt, putting his finger on the first word, "There were two very different families, one from the richer side, and one from the poorer. The rich family had a daughter named Juliet, and the poor had a son named Romeo. Juliet and Romeo did not care who thrived in wealth, and who suffered in poverty. They played together every day."_

_He stopped reading after he turned the page to look at Kurt, whose eyes were wide with curiosity, already so fascinated with the story when it hadn't even begun. "One day their fathers had a feud, and they were not sure over what. They just heard noises of fighting, then their fathers dragged them separate ways. They were never to see each other again."_

_Turning the page, he found the end of the chapter, so he closed the book. Kurt made a low noise and stuck his bottom lip out in a pout, "How sad. I would just hate to be separated from the one I loved." Wrapping his fingers around Blaine's arm, he rubbed his cheek against his shoulder, "I feel as if this story might make me cry."_

_"It's okay." Blaine turned his head and kissed Kurt's forehead, "I won't let you cry. I would change the ending for you if I had to." Seeing a corner of Kurt's mouth curve, Blaine gently pecked it with a kiss. "Do you want another chapter?"_

_Kurt looked at the book, his lips pursed with anxiousness but his eyes sparkling with hope. "Hm… no. I want to wait until tomorrow… I want to toss and turn over how it ends, and feel the way that Romeo and Juliet do when they get separated. I have hope for this story because you promised to make it a happy ending. Can I just know… is it really a happy ending?"_

_Blaine knew a few versions of the story, but he flipped to the back of the book, anyway, just to appease Kurt. Reading a few sentences, he bit his bottom lip, then lifted his head again. Kurt was still looking at him with those worried eyes. "You said that anything could be made better." Blaine told him, hoping that Kurt understood without him having to hurt him. Kissing Kurt's forehead again, he put the book aside, "I need to leave before my dad notices I'm gone."_

_Kurt held onto Blaine's hand as he struggled off of the bed, "Will you be back tomorrow? Oh, please, tell me you will."_

_"I promise." Blaine leaned in for a quick kiss that still made his skin so hot. "I'll always return to you."_

* * *

Blaine pulled into Santana's driveway and turned off his car, but he didn't get out yet. He stared up at her small house, but his vision was blurred by bullets of rains slashing across his windshield. Yanking his hood over his heavy hair, he took a deep breath and reached for the door handle. The walk up to the door didn't take long, but rain quickly soaked him until he was shaking from the chill and his fingertips turned blue.

Knocking on the door, he pushed his hood down and shook out his hair, pressing his lips together when the wind snapped his cheek. He heard footsteps over the pounding rain, and a few seconds later the door opened. Santana appeared on the other side, her numb expression not changing when she realized it was him. She gestured for him to come in, so he followed on her heels without saying a word. He immediately knew that something was wrong.

Santana shut the door behind him, giving him a few seconds to listen to her silent house, the only noise coming from the humming of the heater. "You're back from your honeymoon." It wasn't a question, and she didn't seem to want to hear about it, "Where's Kurt?"

He wondered why she was asking, because it shouldn't have concerned her that much now that Karofsky was in prison. "He's at home with my family." That was all Blaine offered as the two of them walked deeper into the house, Santana with a slump to her shoulders. Blaine was tired of slouching. "What's wrong?"

Throwing herself down on a couch in the living room, Santana remained silent for a few minutes, her fingers rubbing her temples as she stared at a staircase. She finally moved, her mouth falling open before she got the words out, "He's being released in six months, Blaine. What are we going to do?"

Blaine didn't know how to respond to that. He'd be taking his family to California, where they'd be safe, but Santana hadn't mentioned getting away from him. Turning his head, he shoveled his fingers into his curls and squeezed his eyes shut. Before he could say anything, she continued, "I saw him while you were away. I go to visit him sometimes… when I want to see exactly what's destroying my life and know that I can't do anything about it… him."

He didn't think he'd be able to handle seeing Karofsky like that, where he was only separated by a few bars. Keeping his eyes closed, he laid his head in his hand and muttered, "Is he still…?"

"He's still nothing." The words were harsh, short, which made him look up at her. "Everything about him is different." Lowering her brows, Santana crossed her arms and fidgeted uncomfortably. "He's worse than ever, Blaine. He's like this savage monster that will bite your fingers if you stick them through the bars."

Blaine tried not to imagine Karofsky like that, so destructive and damaged that he barely seemed to feel anymore. "What about Hunter?" He said quietly, hating that he had anything to do with Karofsky. "He's all I care about."

"You mean… if he wants to keep him?" Santana shook her head, "He hasn't said either way. He's probably doing this on purpose… making us suffer in not knowing how Hunter's life is going to end."

Blaine's head jerked up, his eyes widening to the size of saucers at her last statement, "_What_ did you just say?"

Raising a brow at him, she let her jaw drop, then she closed her mouth again, as if she was confused by his shock. "Don't be stupid, Blaine. You know he's a violent wreck. He would kill a baby if it was given to him. Hunter doesn't stand a chance—"

"Hunter doesn't need to know about him!" Blaine was unaware that his voice had raised at all until she winced, "I'm not giving him to Karofsky… I don't give a damn what he has to say. I'll hide him away if that's what it takes."

Santana slowly sat up, the alarm still in her flashing eyes and parted lips, "Blaine, you promised you would give him back if Karofsky wanted him—"

"I said nothing!" Blaine yelled so loudly that the house seemed to shake, and for a few seconds neither of them said anything, both frustrated by the other's intentions. Blowing out heavily, Blaine grumbled under his breath, "You said you didn't want him. That doesn't mean Karofsky has to get him."

Tears suddenly swelled in her eyes, her chest rising and dropping much faster than it should have, "You're being so fucking selfish… just like you always are!" She whipped away from him and put her back to his face, then got up and wrapped her arms around herself. Her knees shook so violently that he thought she might collapse. "It was decided by the court that our time with Hunter would be split… If he wants the baby, we have to give it to him."

Blaine dug his heels into the floor, "You can't ask me to give my baby up to someone who wants to kill him."

"_Your_ baby?" She turned around so quickly that she stumbled a little, but she caught herself on the edge of the couch, "I knew it was a mistake to give him to you! You get so attached to things and then you cling to them! It's what you did with Kurt! Blaine, this is not your baby and it's not your decision! I asked you to watch the baby because I couldn't… I didn't want you to bond with him! Brittany is sick, Blaine! She's dying!"

Shaking his head, Blaine backed up to a nearby wall and pressed his cheek to it. He felt so weak, like his entire body was collapsing. "What?"

Santana moved toward him, striding over to a staircase and stepping up. Without looking at him to see if he would follow, she disappeared up to the second floor. He stayed where he was for a few seconds, trying to catch his breath, and then he walked after her. His footsteps were so heavy, and he wanted to sit down, but he kept going up. Hearing a door crack open to his right, he glanced in that direction and saw Santana go into one of the rooms.

He went after her, putting his hand on the doorway and leaning against the wall. The room was a little cooler because of fans blowing at a bed, so he tightened his arms around himself. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Santana looked at a lump under the blankets, and she carefully peeled them back.

He was startled by the figure stretched out on the bed, what looked like Brittany but couldn't have been. She was violently shaking, even though her cheeks were burning with color from heat. Her limp hair had been pulled back in a loose ponytail that was sticking to the nape of her neck, and her forehead shined with sweat. Her throat and everything lower was discolored, a deep purple that got darker at her fingers. They were usually thin and pale, but now they were almost black and swollen, at least three times the size of Blaine's. Her stomach was also larger, bloated and full, and just as discolored as her fingers.

She groaned and convulsed, her head jerking up with the violent spasm. Taking a step away from her, Blaine looked at Santana, who didn't seem at all alarmed by the movement. She hushed Brittany, laying her back down on the pillows.

"What is this?" Blaine couldn't stop the words from coming out, "She was getting better when I left—"

"She wasn't." Santana said softly, covering her back up with the blankets. Brittany moaned and became very still, but she was still breathing too hard. "Hunter got so big that he caused a blockage in her veins that stopped the fluids from spreading, but after those whores took him out there was nothing to keep her entire body from filling."

"What fluids?"

Laying her hand on her forehead, Santana muttered, "The doctors found out what Karofsky put in Brittany. You remember… when I told you he drugged her. Once Hunter was out, they were able to run more invasive tests. The drug that Karofsky put in her… was a lethal poison. It moves slowly… so it makes the victim suffer for a long time before it finally reaches the heart and kills them. He put it in her on purpose. He wanted her to go through this. It's usually not this horrible… part of her pain is a disease she got after having sex with someone. I don't know who… she had sex with a lot of guys back in high school. The poison caused the disease to enflame, and her stomach bloated, which is why the placenta detached. At least… that's what the doctors told me."

Blaine was speechless as Santana kept stroking Brittany. He had no idea what he could tell her to reassure her because he'd be stupid if he thought that things were going to be okay. Swallowing thickly, he said lowly, "Isn't there a way to get it out of her?"

Santana nodded, "There would have been… at first. The doctors could have pumped it out… and they've tried that… they've done that a thousand times. But it's taking too much blood. The doctors have given up… they said there's nothing they can do for her now." Inhaling sharply, Santana covered her mouth and said through a thick voice, "As soon as the poison reaches her heart, she's going to die."

Staring at the panting girl on the bed, Blaine sighed heavily and turned away, his head throbbing. All he wanted to do was go home and be with his family, forget that he'd ever come here. He still had only one concern, as bad as he felt for Santana. "What does Brittany's sickness have to do with Hunter?"

Santana lowered her voice, and she almost sounded desperate, "If you hide Hunter from Karofsky, he could take it up with the police. They'd arrest Brittany for keeping his son from him—"

"Don't call him his son." Blaine snapped, his voice a low rumble.

"_Whatever_ you want to call Hunter, he belongs to Karofsky!" She shouted. "Blaine, Brittany can't go to jail! She wouldn't make it there… she's too weak! You just have to give Hunter up!" When he made a horrid sound, her voice became shrill, frantic. "What if it was Kurt?"

Blaine was starting to lose control, lights flashing in his eyes. All he could see and hear was a helpless baby screaming under Karofsky's violent hands. "I'm damned!" He managed to get out, finally quieting her. "Hunter doesn't have to be!"

Stomping away from her when she screamed at him again, he slammed the door behind himself. He didn't know where to turn or what to look at, blinded by his own rage and confusion. The only thing clear to him was that Hunter loved him and needed him, and he needed him just as much. Going up to the front door, he flipped his hood up and stood there for a few minutes, listening to the rain and crashing thunder.

He slammed his fist against a wall and pressed his face to it, breathing so heavily because his throat felt tight. He needed to protect his family, and he would stop at nothing to keep them safe. Opening the door, he hurried outside and got into his car, needing to hold their little bodies again, kiss their dimpled cheeks, hear their playful giggles. He was suddenly terrified of losing everything he loved. The rain kept pouring.


	8. When She Loved Me

Author's note: I really liked writing this chapter :) More daddy!Klaine in the next chapter... and probably story time. Pavarotti and Everett will make a reappearance next chapter... they're just a little hard to write because they don't do much :/ But... anyway... I've been watching a lot of Bambi lately to get daddy!Blaine ideas :) Bambi's dad is one of my favorite Disney dads. Just so you guys know about what's going on with me... I'm starting my senior year soon, which is just... ugh. So I'll be working around that. And then maybe in two weeks or so I'm going to see my brother ship off... he's being deployed to Spain for a few months. I think that's all I have to say about what's coming up... but I'm really excited to start my new chapter, which I will do right now. I might have it up by the end of the day... I don't know. I think it will be easy to write. But... yeah... thanks to all of my readers for being amazing. I really do love everything you guys have done for me or told me in these past two years! :D

* * *

_Blaine stepped up to Kurt's door and raised his hand, quietly knocking on the heavy wood. He nipped his bottom lip and shuffled from foot to foot, listening to the voices of sports commentators chatting about a play in a football game. He raised his brows, not understanding what they were saying. A moment later noisy footsteps crossed the floor, and the door cracked open. Kurt's dad was standing on the other side, and he raised his brows at Blaine. Reaching down, he scrubbed his hair, "Hey, kiddo. Glad to see you." He looked over his shoulder and yelled, "Kurt, your friend is here!"_

_Stepping inside, Blaine followed Burt with his eyes, watching as he turned off the TV and lumbered over to a table to pick up his wallet and car keys. He jerked back around when the basement door opened and a pair of blue eyes peeked out. A happy smile curved Kurt's lips, and he pounced off of the last stair. "Blaine!" Scampering over to him, Kurt jumped into his arms, pressing a warm kiss to his cheek. "I thought about you while you were away. Did you think of me?"_

_Blaine wanted to tell him that he hadn't been able to stop thinking about him, but before he could reply, Kurt's dad walked over to him and patted his shoulder. "Ready to go, hon? I'm going out to the car."_

_Kurt grinned up at his dad, then turned away and bounced on his toes, "My daddy and I were just leaving for dinner. He got time off work so he wanted to take me out. Would you like to come with us?" Brushing the front of his pink dress with a little flower at the hip, he spun in a circle. "I do look okay, don't I? I don't have any wrinkles?"_

_"No…" Blaine took a deep breath, "you look perfect… you always do." Nipping his bottom lip, he cleared his throat, "You want me to come with you?" When Kurt's smile widened, he slowly dropped his chin. "Okay. Where are we going?"_

_"To my daddy's favorite restaurant, Breadstix." Just at the thought of it, Kurt rubbed his belly. "It just opened a year ago and it has amazing Italian food. I like getting the spaghetti and salad… and maybe a chocolate dessert! Would you like to share that with me? That sounds like a lot of food…" he frowned at his stomach, "and I don't want my belly to hurt."_

_"Okay." Blaine said again, following Kurt over to the door. He started to turn the handle, but he quickly pulled his hand away and put a fingertip on his chin._

_"Could you read to me on the way to Breadstix?" Kurt asked softly, his eyes wide and hopeful. "Oh, please. I've worried enough about this story to faint. I can't wait anymore to hear it." When Blaine didn't reply, Kurt hurried away from him and knelt by his bag. He searched through it, grinning with glee when he found their book. "I'm so happy you brought it! I'm excited to hear it… even though I might be too woozy at dinner to eat. Love stories always make me dizzy."_

_Taking the book from Kurt when he returned to his side, Blaine put a hand at his waist and nudged him out the door. It was a chilly night and Kurt's little dress was thin, so Blaine pulled off his jacket and draped it over his shoulders. Kurt was delighted by it, "That's so sweet of you! Thank you." He leaned over to kiss Blaine's cheek before climbing into the car._

_He curled up against the window, and Blaine sat down next to him, putting the book between their laps. His dad pulled out of the driveway and a second later flipped on the radio, playing a basketball game very quietly. Everything was silent around them, no others cars on the road, and Blaine could hear every soft breath that Kurt took._

_Clearing his throat, Blaine glanced down at their book, trying to make out words with just the dim street lights flashing through the windows. "Juliet was unhappy without her Romeo, and he the same with her. But they slowly grew up apart, and the memories of each other faded. The only things they had to remember each other by were the tiny paintings they'd given to each other."_

_Blaine turned the page and heard Kurt make a soft sound of distaste, his bottom lip pushing out in a pout. Rubbing his round cheek with a finger, Blaine whispered softly, "What's the matter, Kurt?"_

_"If I only had a picture of you, I would hug it to my chest every night as I slept… and hope that one day it'd be you instead." Kurt murmured, laying his head on Blaine's shoulder and nuzzling him. "Poor Romeo and Juliet."_

_Blaine rubbed their cheeks and tried to comfort him, his eyes opening on the front of the car. He noticed Kurt's dad looking in the mirror at them, his eyes narrow and almost suspicious. Startled, Blaine returned his attention to their book, and he read, "Juliet grew up to be a nice girl who was plenty beautiful. Some men said her cheeks were too full or her lips were too thin, but no one really complained about her looks. Romeo became a poor man living off of very little. He fought for his money and became strong and brave because of it. They were an unlikely pair, and no one thought of their ending."_

_He got to the end of the chapter and closed the book, but Kurt didn't move from his shoulder. He still seemed upset about the story, and Blaine wanted to soothe him. "Why can't every couple be as happy as we are?" He whispered so softly that Blaine almost didn't hear it. "It's so upsetting that every couple can't have love like we do."_

_"It's okay." Blaine kissed his ear, reaching down for his hand and squeezing. "It'll be a happy ending, I promise." Helping Kurt from the car when his dad pulled into a parking spot, he lifted him out of the doorway and set him down by his feet._

_They followed his dad into the restaurant, and they quickly got a table by a window. Holding onto Blaine as he sat down, Kurt squished his nose to the window, gazing at everything outside as if he was completely fascinated. "It's so beautiful outside." He murmured quietly, turning back to Blaine and smiling so sweetly. "It'd be wonderful to spend every nice day outside with you… especially when it snows. We could play in it and then go inside and drink hot cocoa with marshmallows and snuggle by a fire." Putting his fingertips to his lips, he giggled, a high pitched sound that was so beautiful._

_The waiter came a few minutes later and asked for their drinks, and Kurt said milk, while Blaine wanted a glass of water. Burt turned away to watch a game on a TV, leaving them to themselves. Snuggling into Blaine's chest, Kurt reached up to cup his chin, and he gently ran his fingertips along Blaine's jaw and neck. Blaine swallowed thickly, feeling his skin turn as hot as fire. "Can you tell me something about yourself?" Kurt murmured, and Blaine closed his eyes._

_He thought he was very dull, and he didn't do much. He had nothing to tell Kurt. "There's nothing you don't know."_

_"Oh, but, there is." Kurt looked up at him, his eyes round, "You're so… fascinating to me, but you don't say much about yourself. Hm… I'll tell you something about myself, and you say something about you." When Blaine didn't reply, only sliding his arm around Kurt's waist, Kurt tapped his chin, "Mm… sometimes, when my _maman_ talks about Broadway, I think I want to be up there with her. It'd be so exciting, wouldn't it? Playing a part in a story you love, having people applaud you… one of my favorite parts is when the star gets flowers at the end. I would want to get flowers at the end of my show." He sighed very deeply, "Now you must tell me something. What are your dreams?"_

_Blaine took a few deep breaths, still unsure what to tell Kurt. He couldn't tell him that he was a clueless mess who still had no talents. His dad had tried throwing balls with him a few times, and he caught every one of them, but he wasn't interested in it. Stroking the side of Kurt's neck with his fingertips, he felt him shiver in his arms. He rubbed the spot again, knowing it felt good, "For a long time I dreamed of finding a best friend… someone I could tell anything. I didn't have any friends before you… and then you came along."_

_Kurt's lips curved and he stretched to kiss under Blaine's chin, almost purring as he cuddled and rubbed against him, "You can tell me anything." He whispered so softly, and at first Blaine thought he was asking and he was going to reply that he thought he could, but then he realized that Kurt was assuring him that he could trust him._

_The waiter came back with their drinks and gave Kurt and Blaine a strange look, but Blaine didn't care with Kurt humming against his chest. He ordered the plates of food they were sharing, then the waiter walked away again. While Kurt sipped his milk, his lips perfectly round and plump around the straw—something that made Blaine want to kiss him—his dad moved away from the back of his chair and stared at Blaine. He raised a single brow when Blaine shyly turned away, "No one's ever treated him the way you do. Why are you different?"_

_Blaine didn't know the answer to that, either, because he didn't understand it. His dad had raised him to point his nose at the ceiling when he was around anyone different than him, and he'd never seen anyone more different than Kurt. But he didn't see how it was possible to turn Kurt away, when he was so beautiful and kind. "I don't know." Blaine muttered, and he didn't say anything else._

_The conversation quieted after that, his dad going back to the game on TV, and Kurt looking out the window again. It was so peaceful and comfortable, while the few family dinners that Blaine remembered usually ended early because his dad had to go back to his paperwork, or went on for too long because his mom was complaining about work. He was never asked questions or considered, just expected to sit still, munch on his broccoli, and then put his plate away when he finished._

_They got their food a few minutes later, and Kurt happily slurped up a string of spaghetti. Some sauce splattered on his pink cheek, which made Blaine smile and lean in to kiss it away. Kurt softly giggled, touching the spot where Blaine's lips had brushed._

_The food was good, nothing compared to Kurt's cooking, but Blaine liked sharing it with Kurt, some of the noodles getting caught between their forks and the chocolate cake quickly finished off because they both thought it was delicious._

_He was starting to completely dread ever leaving Kurt's side, and he thought that being in his life with him was best for both of them. He hadn't considered that playful proposal of marriage from Kurt, figuring that he was being silly, but Blaine was doubting that it was anything else than what they needed._

* * *

Blaine stepped out of his car and shut the door behind himself, the rain still pouring from a dark sky. His curls dripped against his forehead, and they rolled down his nose and cheeks. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he took a deep breath and walked toward his house. A few lights were still on, and he could see shadows moving in the windows. His head still throbbed and he was exhausted, so it would be nice to get inside and lay down beside of Kurt. He bit his bottom lip as he wondered how he would tell him what Santana wanted from them, how he could soothe his worry.

Twisting the knob, he opened the door and felt warmth on his face, the smell of dinner still hanging in the air. He looked up at the sound of Kurt's sweet voice, softly murmuring to one of the babies. He was curled up on the couch with Keegan next to him, Archer sitting in front of him. Kurt gently ran his fingers through his curls, brushing the tangles out. Hunter was in Keegan's arms, sitting very still as he was buttoned into his pajamas.

Kurt lifted his blue eyes from Archer's dark head and he smiled at him, then returned his attention to Archer and gave him a hug. "Goodnight, my darlings. Kiss your daddy goodnight before you go to sleep." After giving both of them kisses, Kurt helped them scoot off the couch.

Hunter held onto the back of Archer's nightshirt as they scurried over to him, and Blaine knelt down in front of them. He pulled both of them to his chest, careful not to get them wet, and he kissed both of them. "Sleep well, little loves. Your _père _and I will be up soon."

Archer sleepily rubbed his eyes, "Goodnight, Daddy." He lifted onto his toes to kiss Blaine's cheek, then patted Hunter's hand. Hunter cuddled against Blaine's chest, rubbing his cheek against his neck, then he ran away with Archer.

Blaine stayed on the floor for a few seconds, only moving when he felt light hands on his back. He looked up at Kurt, who was trying to peel his soaked jacket away. "Oh, Blaine, you're so cold. Your lips are blue."

Shaking his head, Blaine got up when Kurt tugged him, and he glanced at Keegan, who was still stretched out on the couch. Kurt busied himself with brushing some water off of him, and he smoothed his curls off his face. "How was Santana's?" He asked quietly, a flicker of concern about Blaine's silence in his eyes. "Did she miss you while you were away?"

Blaine looked back down at Kurt, and he shook his head again. "I have a lot of thinking to do, honey." Stepping past Kurt, Blaine headed for the stairs, where his babies had just scurried up. "I need to lay down for a while. I feel sick."

Kurt stayed behind, looking absolutely frantic over Blaine. "Blaine…" he pleaded softly, then looked back at Keegan as Blaine started up the stairs. He said something in French that Blaine didn't understand, and Keegan's eyes flicked to Blaine, then away again. He nodded, and Kurt hurried after Blaine. "Blaine, please… you're frightening me."

Blaine blew out heavily, getting to the top of the stairs. He lifted Kurt off of one of the stairs and set him down by his hip, "It's nothing you have to worry about, sweetheart." Kissing the tip of Kurt's nose, Blaine kept walking to their bedroom, his entire body so cold, even though the rain had just hit his skin.

He opened the door and quietly went in, his eyes on the snoozing babies curled up under the blankets. Archer still seemed half awake because his head slowly lifted and he blinked, then he held his arms out, "Daddy."

"Daddy's here, my sweet." He went up to the side of the bed, bending over Archer and kissing his hair. "Shh… get some sleep." Dragging the blankets up to Archer's chin, he watched him bat his eyes until they finally closed.

Turning away, he headed for the bathroom and stripped out of his shirt. He stood in front of the mirror for a few seconds, Kurt's small image behind him, hesitating in the doorway. He looked tired, his eyes drooping and his lips parted. Dragging a hand through his hair, he groaned lowly and closed his eyes.

"Blaine…" a tiny voice begged, and he felt small hands on his chest. "I'm your husband… you need to tell me what's making you upset. You've only ever shut me out before when you were stressed about Karofsky. Is it about him?"

Blaine opened his eyes, seeing Kurt's crumpled expression, and he realized that hiding this from Kurt would be more difficult than he thought. Taking Kurt into his arms, he rested his chin on his shoulder, feeling him shake with worry, "Baby… shh… I want you to know that no matter what happens…" he peeled slightly away from Kurt and cupped his cheeks, looking into his blue eyes, "I'm going to keep our family safe."

Kurt's eyes swelled with tears, and he seemed to understand what Blaine was avoiding. "It is about him… I know it is. Blaine… we can't keep hiding from him. We have children now… a family… He could hurt them! What if Keegan saw him? He'd be so hurt."

Blaine held Kurt much tighter, "Kurt… honey… listen to me. I would never let anything hurt the babies… or you. We're going to California… he won't find us." Resting Kurt against his chest, he tried to soothe him, but Kurt was too anxious. He heard the rustling of blankets from their bedroom and kissed Kurt's hair, "Little love, go lay down and rest. I'm going to change my clothes."

Sniffling, Kurt took a step away from Blaine, weakly wobbling back into the bedroom. Keeping his eyes on his husband as he bundled blankets around the babies, Blaine pushed his pants down and quickly pulled on a dark shirt and sweatpants. He left the bathroom and put one knee on the bed, climbing on beside of Kurt, who had Archer tucked under one arm.

Blaine pulled Hunter close to him and stroked his soft skin, watching his wide mouth fall open with a low grunt. He stretched his arms and rolled closer to Blaine, burrowing into his shirt. "You don't have to know who your dad is." He wasn't sure if he was trying to convince Hunter or himself of that. "I could be your dad." He closed his eyes but he didn't sleep, scared that he'd see how Hunter's life was going to end.


	9. Belle

Author's note: I'm sorry, I lied! I thought this one was going to be easy, and it kind of was, but it also wasn't. :/ I had trouble with the endings on both of the scenes and was afraid the scenes were boring, but after editing them, I don't think they're too bad? I don't know. And I'm really sorry about the babies! I think they're cute, but they're probably a little too advanced to be just turning one. I did a lot of research before Archer and Hunter were even born and it said that one year olds could make comprehensible sentences, so I just went with it, but after looking more into it, another site says they just babble. So, I don't know, I haven't really been around one year olds for quite a few years. The last one I spent a lot of time around was my cousin, and he's now ten years old... so, yeah. You can take the babies the way you want. I just want to think that they're really smart for their age. But, yeah, anyway... my next chapter will be a lot like this one. Preparing for the birthday party... that's really hard for me to say. I feel like I was just writing the chapter where they were born yesterday. And probably some Archer/Kurt/Keegan shopping because... how could I not? And some Hunter/Blaine bonding (and possible cake baking) time. Yay! ^_^ Ugh... it's almost four in the morning. I need to do something else, so I'm done with this author's note. Thanks so much for all of the support, you guys! It's really awesome to have such amazing people reading my story! :D

ObsessiveGleeSyndrome: It's totally fine :P I haven't been getting on as much because I've been writing a lot, but I did just finish an amazingly sad baby!Klaine fanfic. D: Your reviews just make me happy! I am super proud of this story, but I'm a lot more happy when something I wrote makes someone else happy! :) It's my favorite thing about writing!

* * *

_Blaine climbed onto the slippery couch, almost sliding off when his sweatpants rubbed against the fabric the wrong way. Dropping onto the pillows, he crossed his ankles and turned his eyes to Kurt, who was looking through the movies. He smiled when he found one he liked and he pushed it in, patting his fingertips together with excitement as it started playing. He hopped to his toes and scampered over to Blaine, holding his arms up._

_Helping Kurt onto the couch, Blaine felt him plop into his lap, then he reached for Blaine's hands and wrapped them around his tiny waist. "This one is my favorite." He tucked his head under Blaine's chin, "Beauty and the Beast. It's so romantic… especially the dancing scene. I just hate how mean Gaston is to the Beast and Belle."_

_Blaine, who had never seen the movie before, watched a beautiful girl walk out of her little home. "Who is Gaston?" He muttered lowly, keeping his eyes on the screen as he tried to determine which man in the dull town was Gaston. It sounded like a pompous name, so he looked for the most obnoxious man._

_"Oh, he's the town hunter." Kurt wrinkled his nose in distaste when a bulging man strode down the street. "He's not very nice to the little birds… poor dears… and he upsets Belle so much. Then he gets mad at the Beast… but the Beast didn't do anything wrong. He was very nice to everyone… well, except when he got angry. But Gaston's own meanness made him fall off a tower, which is good for Belle and the Beast because he was bad… but still very sad." He pushed his bottom lip out, and Blaine raised his brows at him._

_Suddenly concerned, Blaine ran a finger over Kurt's bottom lip, feeling it tremble with tears that wouldn't fall, "You're upset."_

_Kurt lowered his head and nodded, "Yes… I always cry when I think of villains in stories. I want all of them to be happy and have a happily ever after, but they don't understand that if they were nice to everyone, they could be very happy in the end."_

_Blaine pressed his lips together. After a few years of being around his parents' broken marriage and seeing the ruined world around him, he understood that things didn't always work out. Kurt still seemed so innocent about what really happened in life, every day, and that hurt Blaine that someday something was going to cause Kurt pain and make him just as knowing as everyone else. Wanting to protect him, he whispered in his ear, "You know, Kurt, sometimes… there are bad people in the world because bad things happened to them. No one is born bad, and everyone can be brought back. Nothing is hopeless. Seeing you smile would be enough to make someone happy." When Kurt's lips quivered with a small smile, Blaine kissed the corner of them, "But… when there are bad things, that makes it more special when someone does have a happily ever after, doesn't it?"_

_Kurt nodded again, looping his arms around Blaine's neck. "You make me feel better when I'm sad." Kissing Blaine's cheek, he curled up against his chest and whispered, "Gaston wasn't always unhappy, was he? When he was a baby, his mom probably kissed his cheeks and rocked him to sleep."_

_Blaine made a low sound of agreement, still clutching Kurt to make sure he was alright, "Do you want me to read you another chapter of our story so we can get to the happy ending?"_

_Reaching for the mug of warm milk on the table, Kurt brought it to his lips and sipped from it, "That sounds lovely." His words were drawn out by a quiet yawn, and Kurt raised his hands above his head and stretched. "I would like that very much."_

_Dragging their book into his lap, Blaine opened to where they left off and muttered, "One day Romeo and Juliet happened upon each other. It wasn't the most unlikely place, a school between their two dwellings. Juliet's father had insisted on a private lesson at home to keep her out of harm's way—everyone thought of her as an unlucky, clumsy girl—but Juliet was just as determined as he, and she went to this school for her dearest cousins. Romeo went to the school because it was all he could afford. Either way, they met each other there, and what a meeting it was."_

_Blaine got to the end of the chapter and looked down at Kurt, who, to his surprise, had fallen asleep sometime while he had been reading. Unsure of what to do, he gently smoothed Kurt's cheek, "Kurt…" he whispered so quietly, "Kurt, wake up."_

_Kurt's little mouth fell open and he sighed, his tiny ball that he'd curled up into tightening. Not wanting to startle him, Blaine shifted a little, keeping a hand on Kurt so he didn't slide. He slipped a hand under his slender thighs, feeling his head loll against his shoulder. Scooping him up, he carefully got to his feet, shocked by how light Kurt felt in his arms. He could carry him easily, so after he turned off the movie, he took a few steps over to the stairs. Moving in short steps so he didn't jostle Kurt, he got to the edge of the bed and peeled back the blankets, gently laying him down on the pillows._

_Blaine had stared at Kurt before, had plenty of times at night after he'd fallen asleep against his chest to admire him, but he never got used to how lovely he really was, from his soft cheeks to his rosy lips. His blond lashes batted against his cheeks, fluttering as he dreamed sweet dreams of fairytales and princesses in castles. It was all that he adored… and maybe of Blaine. His beauty still took his breath away, and he hoped it always would._

_Sliding under the blankets beside of Kurt, Blaine cupped a pink cheek, feeling his soft skin as it vibrated with his sleepy hums. He bent down to kiss Kurt's lips, parting them with his own. "I love you." He whispered to him, and Kurt wiggled closer to him. Blaine wrapped his arms around him and held him close, never wanting to let him go, wanting to keep him safe._

* * *

Blaine strode up the stairs with his hands in his pockets, his lips parted as he breathed very deeply. He still hadn't come to terms with what Santana wanted from him, and it was more of a strain on his shoulders with every passing minute. He knew what he would do to protect his family… he just didn't want it to come to that, to be a terrifying monster again. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around himself, his eyebrows furrowing.

He heard tiny, high pitched voices from his bedroom, and one brow raised. He wondered what his loves were up to. Managing a small smile, he stepped off the last stair and wandered over to his door, hesitating on the outside of it. Kurt's bell-like voice rang so beautifully, such a pretty sound that Blaine almost forgot about his discomforts. One of his babies suddenly squealed with a giggle, and he sighed heavily.

Opening the door, he saw his husband curled up in the middle of the bed with two babies tucked on either side of him, Hunter draped over his chest with his eyes half closed as Kurt gently stroked his dark hair. Keegan was lounging beside of Kurt, his blond head hovering protectively over him and his arm wrapped around his shoulders. Pavarotti and Everett were resting on his chest, already snoozing.

Kurt must have heard him come in because he looked up, his eyes wide and sparkling, and he smiled at him, then he returned to the book in his lap. "Beauty came just in time to rescue the Beast."

Archer's little mouth fell open in relief and he patted the book, making Kurt giggle and squeeze him. "He was revived by her kiss, and he told her he loved her, but he knew she could never love him."

Hunter cracked his eyes open a little, blinking the sleep out of them before cuddling under Kurt's chin and grabbing a handful of his nightgown. He glanced over at Blaine and smiled, just a few teeth showing, and he made a low noise that sounded like "daddy." Slowly approaching the bed, Blaine sat down on the edge, staring down at their old storybook. He ran his fingers through Hunter's hair, "Daddy's got you, sweetheart."

Before Kurt went on with the story, Archer murmured in a small, sleepy voice, "But why did they kiss?"

Kurt smiled at him, rubbing his cheek against his, "Oh, darling, when two people love each other very much, they kiss. Mm… just like this." Turning his head, he kissed Archer's round cheek, nuzzling him.

Touching where Kurt kissed, Archer rolled over onto his stomach and murmured, "You and Daddy kiss because you love each other, but I've never kissed Hunner so he knows I love him!" He stuck his bottom lip out in a pout, and Blaine couldn't help but smile at how much he looked like Kurt with that rosy lip pushed out.

Looking down at Hunter, who had fallen asleep in his arms, Kurt stroked his hair and whispered, "I think he already knows, my love." He slipped his fingers under Archer's chin and lifted his head, "You don't have to worry. Kisses are very nice, but just saying that you love him is more than he could ever want, especially from such a wonderful boy."

Hunter's nose twitched in his sleep, and his small hands tightened on Kurt's dress. Archer reached down for him and patted his shoulder as if trying to comfort him, so Blaine slid his arms under him and tucked him in beside of Hunter. Wriggling closer to him, Archer pressed his cheek to Hunter's, "I hope you know I love you even though I haven't kissed you." He said sadly, nuzzling him with the tip of his nose. His words were still breathy and broken, his voice too weak to get all of them out.

"Shh…" Kurt pressed a kiss to the side of Archer's head, "I'm sure he knows, my beauty. Don't make yourself frantic over it. Go to sleep and you can make sure he knows in the morning. We can finish our love story after breakfast, when Hunter's awake and can enjoy it with you. You have so much to be happy about, my love! A sweet kiss from your greatest friend, and a lovely story, and your daddy and I are going to decorate for your first birthday."

Archer's little jaw dropped with a gasp, "My birthday! Can I give Hunner present, too, for his first birthday? I think he'd like it."

While Blaine gave Archer an encouraging grin and scratched under his chin, Kurt murmured, "Of course, darling. He would like that very much… even though you're the perfect gift for him. You know, he met you a day after yours and his birthdays. That makes you a present to him!"

Archer seemed happy about that, kicking his tiny feet under the blankets, "Did I have a bow?"

Kurt giggled at him, putting his fingertips to his lips, "No, but he liked you, anyway, sweet." Giving him one last kiss, he pulled the blankets up to his chin, "It's getting very late. You don't want to sleep through the rest of the story, do you?" Archer quickly squeezed his eyes shut, making Kurt smile. "Sweet dreams, my darling. Dream of kisses and presents and parties."

Archer cracked open one eye, "And Hunner?" He put in softly, closing his eyes when Blaine bent for a kiss.

"Whatever you want to dream of, baby." Blaine muttered in his ear, "Your _père _and I love you very much."

Blaine glanced up when a pale hand brushed Archer's hair, and he saw Keegan staring down at his children with gentle eyes. He looked back up at Kurt and said something in French, and Kurt made a soft sound of regret but nodded, anyway. He said something that sounded very kind, and Keegan smiled at him.

Slipping off the bed, Keegan started walking away, but stopped when Archer suddenly lifted back up. "Wait!" He squeaked, scooting away from Hunter. He put a leg over the edge of the bed and poked at the floor, struggling to slide off. Blaine helped him by lifting him, even though he didn't know what he was getting his nose into this time.

"Archer, what's wrong?" He muttered lowly, watching as his son scrambled over to his toy box and dug through it. "Honey, come back. Your feet will get cold."

Archer picked something up and held it out for Keegan to take, and Keegan knelt down in front of him. He put his hand around Kurt's old teddy bear, turning it this way and that. "Uncle Keegan, this is my teddy, Keegan."

Keegan didn't understand him so he raised his brows, trying to make out a few words. Lowering his brows, Keegan took a deep breath and gave the teddy bear back. "He…" It took a few moments for him to continue, his face screwed up, "He is… as cute… as you."

Archer threw his arms around Keegan's neck, "Goodnight. I love you, Uncle Keegan. I'll see you at breakfast!" He hurried away from Keegan, climbing back onto the bed after Blaine boosted him up by his bottom. He returned to his spot beside of Hunter, laying the bear down next to him.

"That was very sweet of you." Kurt said softly, kissing Archer's hair. "Your Uncle Keegan loves you very much."

Running his fingertips over Archer's pudgy cheek as he laid down next to his bear and squished his face into its fur, Blaine stroked a limp hand and took it into his palm, pressing kisses to his dimpled fingers. "Close your beautiful eyes, my love. Your _père _and I won't leave you."

Archer's tiny mouth opened with a quiet yawn, and he wriggled a little closer to Hunter, who gurgled at the movement. Hunter blindly searched for Archer's warm, little body, and he pressed his cheek to his. Tangling his dimpled fingers in Hunter's dark hair, Archer whispered, "I'm going to dream about you, Hunner."

A hint of a smile pulled the corners of Hunter's mouth, and he stretched his arms out, his fingers plucking the blankets. They brushed Archer's nightshirt and held onto it, bringing them even closer together, "Archer…" the word was very soft and broken, his lower voice raspy with sleep.

Blaine jerked away from his babies while Kurt stroked their little bodies, his breathing suddenly very heavy. It hurt him to look at those crooked lips and know exactly what horrid things could happen to take that smile away.


	10. So Close

Author's note: This chapter sounds awkward to me :/ I wrote most of it when I was half asleep, so that kind of explains it. I didn't know how to end it, so I just kind of let it hang there, I guess. I really had fun writing Hunter, though :) He might be my favorite character to write just because I've written other characters like him and I think he has the coolest backstory. But, yeah... I love daddy!Blaine taking care of baby!Hunter. But, anyway, babies' first birthday next chapter. I think I'll like writing that... hopefully you guys like reading it! Thanks for added follows and favorites! You guys make me happy :D

ObsessiveGleeSyndrome: Thanks! :D I love that the babies are talking now! They're so much fun to write ^_^ And I love their Uncle Keegan! I still adore having a number one fan! You're just an awesome person c:

Okay, I'm done with this author's note. I'm going to have a Toy Story marathon now! I feel like that should be a thing at the babies' birthday party... :O

* * *

_Blaine lifted his heavy lashes to the loveliest of sounds, a sweet whisper in his ear, a pair of the softest lips brushing against his lobe. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes with two fists, he turned his head to where the quiet melody was coming from, and he cracked open one eye. The prettiest eyes gazed back at him, round eyes that shined with happiness. Kurt's lips parted with another beautiful noise, making Blaine quiver to touch his mouth and feel those pink lips vibrate._

_"Good morning, my Blaine." Kurt wiggled a little closer to him, a tiny hand cupping his dark cheek and stroking his hard jaw. A gorgeous smile curved his lips and he covered his mouth with his fingertips, "Do you like when I sing to you? You said my name and wrapped your arms around me when I put my lips against your ear."_

_Blaine's skin turned a deep red as he wondered what else he did while he slept. Kurt seemed to understand because he quickly shook his head, his little mouth falling open, "Oh, no! Please, don't be embarrassed. I think it's sweet." Curling up against Blaine's shoulder, Kurt wriggled deeper under the blankets, one hand holding onto Blaine's shirt. "My daddy is making breakfast for us before he goes to work. Your belly isn't rumbling too much, is it?"_

_Shaking his head, Blaine rested his chin on top of Kurt's blond hair, the silky locks tickling his neck. He swallowed a few times, his mouth dry from sleep. For a few seconds, he remained in silence, just wanting to touch Kurt. He was so soft, from his round cheeks to his full thighs, and he wondered if the skin covered by his wrinkled nightgown felt the same. He ran light fingertips over Kurt's small shoulder, down to his collarbone, over his chest and to a smooth stomach. He brushed over a tiny belly button in his exploring, making Kurt squeak and squirm._

_Suddenly curious, he touched the little dip again, pressing a fingertip into the spot. A high pitched giggle parted Kurt's lips, and he reached down for Blaine's hands. His little hands couldn't wrap around Blaine's much larger fingers. "Oh, Blaine! I'm very ticklish there."_

_Blaine was oddly fascinated by the thought that stroking Kurt's belly could make him melt in his arms. Keeping a hand pressed to his belly button, Blaine turned his head and looked at Kurt's pink face, glowing with humor as he wondered when Blaine would tickle him again. Blaine wanted to make him squeal again, but he also wanted to keep exploring, determine which spots made Kurt weak at the knees. Raising a brow, Blaine muttered lowly, "You like when I touch you."_

_Tilting his chin, Kurt grinned up at Blaine, his small teeth showing between two pink lips, "Your hands are very warm and gentle." He touched Blaine's chin with his fingertips, feeling his strong jaw and his hollow cheeks, "Do you like when I touch you?"_

_Blaine didn't say anything, just letting Kurt stroke his skin. His fingertips brushed his lashes, making him close his eyes. His oval nails scraped his eyebrows, then up to his forehead. He tangled his fingers in his heavy curls that hung over his forehead, and he breathlessly giggled, "Your hair is so soft. It's tickling my palms."_

_Reaching up to his limp curls, Blaine felt Kurt's hand bump his as he kept smoothing and playing in the locks, and he pushed his hair back. It fell into his face again, making him groan with annoyance. "My hair is too heavy."_

_"I don't think so at all." Kurt said softly, and Blaine opened his eyes to see him so close, his tiny chin next to his nose. "Your hair is so beautiful… I love how curly it is." Letting a few curls wrap around his fingers, he brushed them into place so he could see Blaine's forehead, "There… now it's smooth." He nipped his bottom lip as he gazed at Blaine, his eyes very gentle. "You're so handsome."_

_Blaine had never been told that he was good looking by anyone, and he thought he was very plain, so he didn't see what Kurt saw in him. But Kurt looked absolutely enthralled with him, his blue eyes shimmering with affection. Laying down on Blaine's chest, Kurt asked very softly, "Can you read to me?" When Blaine reached for the book, he smiled and tucked his head under Blaine's chin. "I'm sorry I fell asleep last night. I was just so sleepy… and your arms were so tight around me. How did I end up in bed?"_

_"You don't have to be sorry, Kurt. You didn't do anything wrong… you were tired." Opening their book to the page he had stopped at, he muttered after a moment of hesitation, "I, uh… carried you."_

_Kurt's little jaw swung open as if he was sincerely surprised, "You did?" He put a finger on his chin and took a moment to say anything else, then he turned his head and kissed the soft spot under Blaine's jaw. "Thank you for taking care of me. I would have been very cold on the couch if I had stayed there during the night."_

_Blaine shook his head, "It's no problem. I liked holding you while I brought you downstairs." Draping an arm across Kurt's chest, he glanced down at the new chapter and muttered, "Juliet happened upon Romeo by mistake, running into him when they really ran different paths. They weren't sure what they thought of each other, their strong personalities clashing more than they got along, and they certainly didn't like each other. They didn't know what kept pulling them back to each other, but they couldn't get enough of each other's gazes."_

_He turned the page and got to the end of the chapter, hearing Kurt gasp because this wasn't like any other love story he'd read before. Blaine didn't mind the story, but he preferred a classic romance much better, one with a gentleman who helped his lady out of her carriage, and roses decorating the grounds where the wedding would be held._

_Kurt put his fingertips on his lips, his eyes wide with alarm, "Oh, they don't like each other?" He shook his head, obviously concerned that they wouldn't fall in love with each other before the end of the story. "But as children they were the greatest of friends!" Clearly upset with their distaste of each other, Kurt whispered, "How could you ever hate the one you love? It's love at first sight… one of the most romantic things in a love story." He looked at Blaine and said very softly, "I loved you from the first moment I saw you. Did you love me?"_

_Blaine slowly dropped his chin, "I did… of course." Brushing his fingers through Kurt's hair, he said lowly, "Some people… just aren't as romantic as you. They don't need kisses and hugs and flowers… they want challenged." Kurt looked confused by that, so Blaine tried to get out what he meant, "People… who aren't like you… need someone who can be their best friend… someone who can let them be independent."_

_"But didn't you say that I'm your best friend?"_

_"I did," Blaine quickly appeased him from his worry, "and you are, Kurt. It's just… different… because…" he was running out of ways to explain, so he tried to make it simpler, "we need each other. And not everyone… _needs_ someone. They can rely on themselves… but you're not like that, and neither am I."_

_"Oh." Kurt seemed to finally understand, but he still didn't look happy. "But if you're not so romantic, how will they ever know that you're very in love with them?"_

_Blaine thought about his parents, who, although had a very broken marriage, were still fond of each other. He rarely saw them kiss or embrace, but they laughed at each other's jokes and sometimes even nudged each other. He shrugged, not sure how to put that into words, "Just by looking at them… being by their side. Maybe telling them a joke at breakfast."_

_Kurt's eyes lit up, "My daddy and _maman_ do those things! Sometimes they'll share kisses, too!" He returned his attention to their book, his lips tugging down with a little bit of uncertainty, "I feel a little better now that I know they'll be happy together. Will it be soon… that they fall in love? Please, I must know."_

_Blaine had never actually read the book before, so he didn't know himself, but he knew it would happen, with romance or not. Slipping two fingers under Kurt's chin, Blaine stroked him to soothe him, "You're so anxious. Just know… that when it does happen, it'll finally be romantic, and you'll be happy that it did happen." Kissing Kurt's forehead, he saw an unsure smile curve his lips at Blaine's comforting words, his hesitant hope that Romeo and his Juliet would live just as happily ever after as the Beast and his Beauty did._

* * *

Blaine walked into the kitchen with his shoulders dropped and his hand at his neck, rubbing tension out of it. He went over to the cabinets and opened one that hovered above the stove, and he picked out a box of sweetened oatmeal that he could make for the babies' birthday breakfast. Setting it down, he closed that cabinet and started to move on to the next when he heard little feet patting against the floor.

Turning his head, Blaine saw Hunter standing in the doorway, his tiny fists rubbing two puffy eyes. His mouth opened with a quiet yawn, and he lowered his hands again. When he looked up at Blaine, he blinked as if confused, then he held his arms up. A corner of Blaine's mouth twisted, and he left his spot at the stove to go over to Hunter. Scooping him up, Blaine rested him on his shoulder, feeling his wet mouth against his neck. "Come here, baby." He muttered lowly, patting his bottom. "Did you just wake up?"

Hunter yawned again, nuzzling under Blaine's chin. He didn't say anything, but he wrapped an arm around Blaine's neck. Carrying him over to the stove, Blaine kept looking through the boxes and bags, finding a few things that he could feed them for lunch. He felt Hunter turn his head, his eyes opening a little wider, and he said quietly, "Where's Archer?"

Blaine put a hand on the back of Hunter's head for more support, "He went shopping with your _père _and uncle to get decorations for your birthday party. Your grandma and grandpa went to work before you even woke up, so it's just us, Hunt."

Finally lifting his head as he stretched his little muscles, Hunter glanced up at what he was doing, "When will they be back?"

"I don't know." Tightening his arm around Hunter, he turned away from the cabinets and started on the pantry, "Maybe an hour or two. It'll be hard for your Uncle Keegan to get your _père_ away from the mall." He had to briefly smile at the thought of Kurt bouncing around the stores excitedly, as he always did when he went shopping.

Hunter was quiet for a few more minutes, watching as Blaine grabbed a few more things for lunch, and maybe dinner. "What are you doing?"

Blaine found a few cake mixes near the back of the pantry, and he pulled one of them out, "I'm looking for food for your party." Showing Hunter the box of cake mix, he muttered, "Do you want me to make this for your birthday cake? It has fruit in it… I know you like mango."

Hunter scrunched his nose at the box, sticking his tongue out. Blaine couldn't help but smirk at his screwed up expression, "Okay, tell me which one you want." Putting Hunter closer to the pantry, he let him look through the mixes, and he lifted him back up when he chose one. "You want the vanilla cake? Pick out which icing you want and you can help Daddy make it."

After Hunter wrapped his little fingers around a can of chocolate icing, Blaine brought him back over to the counter and set him down. "Honey, can you reach up in that cabinet and get Daddy a bowl?"

Hunter did as he was told, pulling out a red bowl that he gave to Blaine. Blaine let him pour the cake mix into the bowl, then left his side so he could get the measuring cups and oils. When he turned around, he found Hunter poking his finger around in the bowl. He licked the dusty powder off of it and made another face, batting at his mouth with his hands. Laughing at him, Blaine handed him a measuring cup, "It doesn't taste good yet, Hunt. We have to bake it first."

Frowning at the bowl, Hunter shook the rest of the powder off his finger. He reached for everything else that Blaine was holding, wanting to make the cake on his own. Blaine easily gave in, just holding onto his tiny hands as he poured things on the mix to make sure that he didn't spill anything.

Getting a spoon out of a drawer, he handed it to Hunter, who stuck it in the messy powder and stirred. He stayed mainly in one spot, leaving everything else as dusty goo. Blaine smiled at his efforts, "You're so good at making cakes, sweetheart."

Hunter stuck his tongue out in concentration as he stirred for a few more minutes, tearing his eyes away only when he got distracted by a chirp. He grinned at Pavarotti and Everett, the two, little birds waddling into the room in search of their breakfast. "Hi, Pavarotti and Everett!" Their names were a little too big for him to say, and he'd somehow managed to put a _b_ in both of them, which made Blaine smile again.

"Honey, why don't you go feed them and I'll put the cake in the oven?" He picked Hunter up and carried him over to the birds, who blinked at the excited baby and tweeted. "You know where their food and bowls are… just two scoops, okay?"

Hunter clapped his hands and chased after the birds, who tried desperately to flutter away from the stumbling baby. After Hunter was out of the room, Blaine finished stirring the goo and poured it into a pan. He stuck it into the oven and washed up, wiping off the counters and putting the messy bowls and measuring cups in the sink.

Leaving the kitchen once he was done and cleaned up, he stopped in the living room and turned on the TV, flipping the channel to a cartoon dog that was attempting to say the alphabet. He threw himself down on one of the couches and glimpsed at the stairs, hearing Hunter's thudding feet somewhere above him. "Honey, why don't you bring the birds down here?"

After a moment of more noisy footsteps, Hunter appeared at the top of the stairs, a wide smile on his face. Pavarotti and Everett were circling his legs, wiggling and twittering up at him. He wobbled down the stairs, careful to take his time so he didn't fall. He was still in his pajamas, and his pants seemed to be a little too long for him, getting caught under his heels. They were rumpled and covered in the cake mix, but he didn't seem to care.

Hunter stopped in front of the couch and stared at the TV for a few seconds, then he turned back around and climbed onto Blaine's chest. He leaned down for a kiss, which Blaine quickly gave to him. "Look at you… you're a mess. Your _père_ would have a fit if he saw you." He tried to bat off some of the dust, but he gave up when he just kept finding more of it in creases and wrinkles.

Flopping down on Blaine's lap, Hunter laid his cheek on Blaine's stomach, his eyes on the TV as the dog kept repeating the letters of the alphabet. Blaine put one hand on Hunter's head, gently stroking his dark hair. He was silent for the rest of the show, oddly fascinated by the talking dog, until a commercial came on. Slightly lifting his head, he asked lowly, "Daddy, what's a birthday?"

Blaine looked at Hunter, still smoothing his hair off his forehead. His skin was even darker than Blaine's, the color of caramel candies. Blaine thought he had gorgeous skin. "A birthday is the day you were born, honey." Letting a lock of hair that kept falling across Hunter's forehead wrap around his finger, he pushed it back with the rest of his hair, "You're turning one tomorrow. Archer is, too. And your family is going to celebrate it… because we'll always treasure the day you and Archer were born."

Hunter cocked his head, that stray hair dropping to his face again, "Do you think I'm special?"

Hesitantly smiling at Hunter, Blaine slowly sat up so he could wrap his arms tighter around him, "Of course I do, Hunt. You're my baby… you mean everything to me." He kissed Hunter's hollow cheek a few times, "I love you very much… all of us do. Don't ever think that we don't."

His reply seemed to satisfy Hunter because he settled back down, curling into a tiny ball in Blaine's arms. After a few more minutes of watching another cartoon—Blaine wasn't sure what it was about because he wasn't paying attention—Hunter's mouth moved against his collarbone, "I love you, too, Daddy."

Blaine held Hunter closer, his eyes lowering to the top of his dark head. He remembered when Hunter was only an infant, so tiny and breakable, but with that spiky hair on top of his little head, and that playful smirk whenever someone held out his teddy bear. He'd held Kurt and Archer before, loved feeling their small bodies against him, but this was a completely new feeling of adoration. He didn't understand how Santana could want to throw something so precious in Karofsky's way, and then he decided that she just didn't know him the way Blaine did.

They spent a long time like that, holding onto each other, but not long enough to Blaine. He'd never been this close to Hunter before, and he loved being with his baby. Hunter stared blankly at the TV, watching his silly cartoons, while Blaine gazed at him, counting each hair on his head. He caught every movement he made, every time his lip curled or his nose twitched. He watched his lashes lower with each blink, those golden lashes against his brown eyes.

Startled when he heard a car pull into the driveway, Blaine jerked out of his sleepy daze, his fingers that had been idly combing Hunter's hair tugging out of the dark locks. Hunter also lifted, his mouth falling open as he tried to figure out who was coming in. A small smile tugged at his lips when Keegan pushed the door open, Archer in one of his arms and a few bags in the other. Kurt followed after them, his bright eyes instantly finding Hunter.

"Oh, my sweet!" He scurried across the floor and stopped by the edge of the couch, bending over Hunter and kissing his cheeks. "I missed you so much! We bought plenty of pretty decorations for your party. We think you'll like them."

Hunter slid off of Blaine's chest, hurrying over to Archer to greet him. Picking him up, Keegan tossed Hunter over his shoulder, making him squeal with happiness. Blaine returned his attention to Kurt, who was watching Keegan play with their children with glowing eyes, and he pulled him closer by his hips.

Sitting down on Blaine's lap, Kurt looped his arms around his neck, still smiling with giddiness, "I'm so happy to be with you again." He sniffed in the direction of the kitchen, and he touched his belly, "What smells so yummy?"

"Hunter made their birthday cake." Blaine told him, wrapping a loose arm around his waist. At Kurt's surprised but pleased expression, Blaine turned his head to where Hunter and Archer were, both of them plopped on the floor and going through all of the streamers that Archer bought. "I barely helped him. He wanted to do all of it on his own."

"That's so good." Kurt patted his fingertips together, "I'm so happy the two of you got to be together today. Archer was a little darling for me. He held my hand in every store and was very helpful with picking out the decorations. He was a little shy around others, but that's okay. And he picked out the sweetest gift for Hunter."

When Archer suddenly scampered over to them and held up his hands, Kurt giggled at him, "Come here, my love. You have tangles in your pretty hair." Helping him up, he ran his fingers through Archer's hair and murmured to him about their day, asking him what his favorite store was and if he liked the mall.

Putting a hand on Archer's little foot and tickling the bottom of it, Blaine turned his eyes to Hunter, who was sitting in front of the TV with Keegan. Keegan was stretched out on his back with Hunter on his chest. His dark eyes moved from the cartoon to Keegan, who he grinned at, then over to Archer. He stared at Archer, who was mindlessly babbling to Kurt as his hair was gently smoothed. He looked slightly confused by Archer's chattering, but still very humored.

Suddenly standing from Keegan's chest, Hunter tottered over to Archer, his clumsy feet moving very slowly. He touched Archer's hair and leaned closer when he turned his head, surprising him with a quick peck to his cheek. Archer seemed happy with the kiss, throwing his arms around Hunter.


	11. Little Love

Author's note: So... yeah. Birthday chapter. I'm not sure if I like it. I want to like it, but it sounds awkward and mostly depressing to me. I did start my senior year and have to take extra driving classes because I'm a terrible driver :P and I don't like either of those things, so maybe that's why this chapter sounds bad :/ I don't know. I still like writing the babies :) Their personalities are so much fun to work with. I'm not sure where I'll be going with my next few chapters. If you have ideas, let me know. They will be going to California soon. I'm thinking next chapter they'll actually be traveling there. For a while they'll be doing random things like playing with the babies, and Blaine will be going to work with Keegan, and Keegan will slowly be learning English. I think that's it, so I hope you guys like it. My updates might not be as frequent, but I will try to get them up as soon as possible. My brother is coming home next weekend, and then I have a wedding to go to, so hopefully I get a lot of writing done this week. Thanks to my lovely Beta for the present ideas :) I think they're adorable.

kathrynevie21: I'm glad you like the baby scenes! I think they're cute :) Hunter is by far my favorite, though. My senior year is alright. I am looking forward to this speech I have to give at the end of the year about a type of family, and I chose to do a child being raised by a gay couple where one or both of the parents is a transvestite :) The speech part of it won't be fun at all, but it's a topic that I'll definitely enjoy talking about, especially since I write about it every day :P

* * *

_Blaine sometimes remembered when he was younger, those long days of having nothing to do except sitting in his window and watching the other children play. He'd tried to approach them and ignore his shyness if only for a few minutes, but he was always so disappointed when the little boys would slowly back away, confused by his fumbling and stammering. After a few tries and getting nothing out of it except strange looks and some rude laughs as his cheeks turned the brightest red, he'd given up. He didn't like being lonely, but he'd been forced into being alone._

_Dragging his feet across the edge of the couch and crossing them, he stared at his lap, unsure where else to look. He slowly lifted his eyes when he heard the prettiest of noises, and he realized that Kurt was singing somewhere else in the house. Turning his head away, he glanced at the walls, all of them covered in pictures of a beautiful baby. Kurt had always been lovely, even as a pudgy baby, and as he slowly got older in every picture, he could be seen posing, or dancing, or giggling._

_Blaine didn't understand why Kurt had even noticed him, when no one else did. As the son of a multimillionaire, he was expected to hold his head high, just like his brother did, but all Blaine wanted to do was hide. He realized that he often disappointed his family by running away from what they needed him to be, but his family just didn't understand that he was different._

_Pushing his hair off his face, he wrapped his arms around himself and lowered his gaze to his lap again. He was usually always looking down to avoid meeting eyes with someone who wanted to ask him why he was nothing like his successful brother, and he knew that his dad hated that he was afraid to point his nose at the ceiling and face the terrifying world._

_He jerked up at the sound of tiny feet patting against the floor, and he pressed his lips together as Kurt slowly padded over to him. Kurt seemed to understand that something was wrong because he tilted his head, his pink lips quivering, "You're sad." He said softly, and Blaine wondered if his emotions were that obvious. He didn't think that he was an open book, and he was suddenly worried that he'd always looked vulnerable._

_He shook his head, trying to be sincere because his broken past and family usually bothered him somewhere deep down. He just got distracted by other things—mostly Kurt—and was able to forget about what haunted him for a while. "Sometimes my thoughts get away from me." He muttered quietly, reaching for Kurt and helping him scoot onto the couch. Kurt plopped down by Blaine's hip, his little body resting against Blaine's side. Tucking his head under Blaine's chin, Kurt wrapped his thin fingers around Blaine's hands, pale against his dark skin. "I'm fine."_

_Kurt laid his lashes on his cheeks, fluttering with every breath he took, "What do you think about?" He finally peeped, opening one eye and peeking up at Blaine. "Do you think about me?"_

_"Most of the time." Wrapping a loose arm around Kurt, Blaine leaned back on the arm of the couch and stroked Kurt's belly, "Sometimes… I think about how… different I am. I don't fit in anywhere."_

_"You fit in with me." Kurt moved onto his knees so he could look at Blaine, and he gave him a sweet smile that comforted him, "It's okay that you're different… I don't mind, whatever you want to be." Looking down at his blue dress, he murmured quietly, "Some people think I'm odd because I wear dresses… but you like me, anyway, don't you?"_

_When Blaine dropped his chin, Kurt's smile widened and he looped his arms around his neck, "We can belong together… just the two of us."_

_Feeling Kurt wiggle closer to him and lay his head on his chest, Blaine stretched his legs out and mumbled, "Thank you… Kurt. Um… do you want me to read to you tonight?" When Kurt gave him an approving smile, he reached for the book on the coffee table and opened it to the next chapter, "Juliet found herself becoming more and more curious of Romeo, when he only wanted to pull away from her. But they could only think of each other, and it drove Romeo mad that he couldn't only need himself anymore."_

_Turning the page, Blaine shifted Kurt in his arms so he could see his wide, curious eyes and his slightly puckered lip. He looked very anxious that the chapter might upset him, so Blaine gently smoothed his hair to soothe him. "They found their way back to each other after months of ignoring their feelings, but very soon after that Juliet's protective father heard of their secret friendship. He sent Romeo away, forbidding him from ever speaking to his beloved daughter again, and Juliet cried that she was alone again."_

_He closed the book and put it aside, keeping his arms around Kurt. Kurt still seemed sad about the very unusual love story, and Blaine regretted making Kurt feel that way because he'd picked the story. He should have just chosen a retelling of The Little Mermaid. "I feel so sorry for Juliet." Kurt dropped his tiny chin, his teary eyes falling to his lap. "Doesn't her daddy know that she's happy with Romeo? If I had children, I would want them to be with whoever they loved. Wouldn't you?"_

_Blaine had seen overprotective dads before, especially in movies, and part of him could understand the urgent need to protect and care for. The dads never wanted to see their children get hurt, and because he'd been hurt before—plenty of times—he could see how they'd rather have their children at home where they were safe and constantly adored, instead of out in the mean world where they could love the wrong person and end up heartbroken. Glancing at Kurt, who was still bundled up against his chest, he muttered lowly, "Some love stories don't have happy endings."_

* * *

Blaine took his husband's hand and helped him off the last step of the staircase, hearing his quiet thanks when he put him back down on his toes. Wrapping his arm around Kurt, he saw his pink lips curve into the happiest smile, and he glanced in the direction that he was looking. Both of his babies were sitting in front of the TV, which was showing what Blaine thought was the first Toy Story, and they had their arms around each other. Archer giggled very lowly when Buzz and Woody got into a ridiculous fight, and Hunter tightened his grip. Keegan was lounging behind them, resting on one of his palms and lazily running his fingers through Archer's messy curls.

Kurt left Blaine's side and hurried over to them, giving both of them hugs and kisses, "Happy birthday, my darlings." He said softly, and they grinned at him. Putting his fingers to his lips, Kurt batted his lashes and whispered, "Oh, you're already a year old. You've grown up too fast."

While Keegan sat up and said something to Kurt, Blaine slowly approached his little family and pulled both of his babies to his chest, "Happy birthday, little loves. Are you hungry? Daddy will make you a special breakfast for your first birthday."

Rubbing sleep out of his eyes, Hunter fell against Blaine's chest, "Daddy, I want juice. Can I have some, please?"

"Sure, honey." He reached over for Archer, who was watching Woody and Buzz wander around Pizza Planet, and stroked his small back. "Archer, sweetheart, do you want juice with your oatmeal?"

"I want warm milk." Archer said, scooting closer to Hunter and tucking himself under his chin. "Daddy, can I give Hunner his present now?"

"After lunch, baby." He gave both of his children another kiss before he got to his feet, walking underneath pink and blue streamers to get into the kitchen. He found Carole already in there, and it smelled like she had started on the oatmeal. Stepping around the table, he opened the fridge and pulled out the apple juice and milk. After he poured both into two cups and stuck the milk in the microwave, he leaned against the counter and went over everything he needed to do for the day.

Carole, who had been at the stove and stirring the steaming oatmeal, glanced over at him and smirked, "You look more stressed out than the day those two were born. I know it's their first birthday, but you need to relax. It'll be fine… those babies aren't fussy."

Quirking half of a smile at her, he said lowly, "They just mean everything to me. I want it to be perfect for them." When the microwave beeped, he went over to it and pulled the milk out, "Thanks for making breakfast. I'm just going to give them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch, so I can make those."

"I've got the cooking today." Carole told him, spooning some oatmeal into two bowls. "You should spend time with them. It'll be perfect to them if you're with them." Handing him the bowls, she grinned at him, "Go out there and watch Toy Story with them. Archer just thinks it's the funniest thing when one of those toys falls over."

Blaine wasn't sure what to do to show her how grateful he was, so he just nodded and turned away. Carefully taking the food and drinks back into the living room, he lowered to the floor beside of Kurt and handed his children their breakfast. He wrapped his arms around Kurt, who seemed just as amused as the babies by the movie, and he kept his eyes on their small heads as they ate. Archer's pudgy cheeks got bigger every time he put the spoon back in his mouth, which made Blaine smirk.

Both of their eyes widened at the end of the movie when Buzz shot up into the sky with Woody and started flying, and Kurt giggled as they stuck their arms out and made flying sounds. After the movie was over, Hunter and Archer played with a few of their toys for a while. Archer had a little doll that looked like Aurora, and Hunter had his teddy bear.

Blaine stayed with Keegan and Kurt, who were having a conversation that Blaine couldn't understand. Kurt laughed a few times and looked at the babies, so Blaine assumed that they were what the conversation was about. He wasn't sure how long it had been, but after a while Hunter toddled back over to him and patted his chest. "Daddy, my stomach's mad at me! It's growling at me." He yelled, which surprised Blaine.

Raising a brow at him, he put his hand under Hunter's shirt and felt his stomach. "Do you have a stomach ache, baby? What's the matter? Daddy will kiss it to make it better." He suddenly felt it rumble under his palm, and he couldn't help but chuckle. "I think you're just hungry. Do you want a sandwich?"

Hunter nodded and hurried back to Archer, whose huge eyes lowered to Hunter's stomach as if he really thought that it was angry. Getting back up, Blaine went into the kitchen where Carole had already set a plate of little sandwiches. He brought them out and set them down by the babies, "Don't eat too many. We're having cake after this, sweethearts."

Archer nibbled on one of the smaller sandwiches, licking the jelly that squirted out of the edges. Both of them crawled over to Blaine, Kurt, and Keegan, and Archer curled up in Blaine's lap, while Hunter squished his face into Kurt's dress.

After he'd finished his sandwich and licked his fingers clean, Archer lifted his blue gaze to Blaine's face, "Daddy, can I please give Hunner his present now? My sandwich is all gone, see?" He held up his dimpled hands, and Blaine grinned and kissed both of them, even though they were sticky and wet.

"Sure, baby." He let Archer go, and he crawled out of his lap. "You've been very good for Daddy."

Carole left the room to get Burt, who had been watching a football game in his room, and Kurt went back upstairs to get their presents to their children. Scooting against the wall and bringing his knees to his chest, Blaine watched Archer waddle over to Hunter with a pink box in his hands.

Once Kurt came back with their birds on his shoulder and a few presents in his hands, Blaine tugged him into his lap. After Carole and Burt sat down on the couch, he let Hunter start opening his gift. All of them had humored smiles on their faces as Hunter struggled to rip his gift apart piece by piece, throwing the tiny shreds of paper aside.

Hunter finally pulled a small box out and opened it, finding two rings inside. He lifted the blue one and twisted it this way and that, then glanced at Archer when he said, "They're wedding rings. Daddy and _Père_ have them because they're in love, and so do Grandma and Grandpa. Married people have each other forever and ever, so we're going to get married today."

Blaine grinned at the sweet gift and Archer's proposal, so much different than his own. "That's very nice, baby. You're the most romantic boy in the world."

Archer's almost toothless smile widened, two dimples popping onto his cheeks. He took a brown ring out and slipped it onto the wrong finger, so Kurt moved closer to him and helped him put it on the right one. After Hunter put his on, Archer clapped his hands and ran over to Blaine, stumbling on his clumsy feet. "Look, Daddy! I'm married like you!" He shoved his little hand in Blaine's face, and Blaine looked at the ring, which had _Archer_ engraved in it with a little heart next to that, and _Hunter_ on the other side of the heart.

Taking Archer into his arms and tickling him, Blaine laughed at his squealing, "Your daddy's not ready for you to move out and get married already."

Archer's eyes widened to the size of saucers, "I want to stay with Daddy!" Lifting his head for a kiss, he grabbed Blaine's hair after he got one. "I'll be married to Hunner because I like him and don't want to hurt his feelings, but I'll still be with Daddy, too."

"Mm…" Blaine kissed Archer's hair, breathing in the scent of strawberry shampoo. "You're Daddy's good baby. Honey, why don't you go see what Hunter has for you? It looks like he wants to give you a gift."

"Hunner!" Archer squirmed from Blaine's grip, tottering over to Hunter. Plopping beside of Hunter, who was still playing with his ring, Archer looked at a piece of paper in his hands. "Did you draw something, Hunner?"

Suddenly curious, Blaine moved closer to them and also glanced at the picture. It was one of a few people holding hands, a very neat picture that had no smudges or smears. Hunter returned his attention to the picture, and he pointed at the people on the end, "That's Grandpa, and that's Grandma." The picture showed Burt with a baseball cap on his head, and Carole with her arm around him. "And that's Uncle Keegan right there… he has Pavarotti and Everett in his hands." He was shown with his blond, curly hair, and turquoise eyes, nothing about him out of place.

Archer pulled the picture closer to himself, and he pointed at the two people in the middle, "That's _Père_ because he has a pink dress, right?" Kurt had a beautiful coif in the picture, not a messy strand of hair on his head, and his pink lips were curved with a gentle smile. "And that's Daddy because he's holding us!" Blaine was a little shorter than Kurt in the picture, with his dark curls hanging over his forehead and a gray jacket covering his shoulders. In his arms were Archer and Hunter, who looked very happy there. They were playing with each other, grinning and laughing.

"I like it, Hunner!" Archer hugged the picture to his chest, unaware that he was probably wrinkling it, and he gave it a kiss. Handing it to Blaine, he asked, "Daddy, can you hang this up when we go home?"

"Of course, honey." Blaine scrubbed Hunter's hair, "Hunter, this is an amazing picture. You're such a good artist. Daddy's so proud of you." He laid the picture on the coffee table, then reached for the other gifts.

Both of them got a few more pairs of pajamas, most of them matching, and clothes and shoes. Blaine bought them new toys and even a tiny oven where they could bake little brownies and cakes without getting burned or hurt.

After they were done with opening their presents, they scrambled into the kitchen to eat their cake. Hunter had done a good job with it because it tasted very good and almost everyone ended up with a second piece.

Kurt and Keegan took them back into the living room to play with their new toys and watch a few more movies before dinner, but Blaine stayed behind with Carole and Burt because his phone was ringing. He wondered if it was the Warblers about something he could start working on from home, but when he pulled it out of his pocket, he was shocked to see that his brother was calling him.

It'd been a few months since he'd heard from him, and he immediately knew why he wanted to talk to him now. He should have been expecting it, but something inside of him made him want to hang up. What was he supposed to tell Coop, that his own child thought his uncle was his dad and he'd let him become completely convinced that he was? What worried him more than facing Cooper's reaction to that, though, was how he could tell Archer that he wasn't his dad.

A low groan rumbled from his throat, and he was aware that Burt and Carole were looking at him and trying to figure out why he wasn't answering. He decided that, even though he hated doing this to his brother, he couldn't let this happen now, not when Archer would still be relying on him for a few more years. Maybe he could tell him later, but not now.

Holding the phone up to his ear, he muttered lowly, "Hello?" He flicked his eyes to the kitchen door, and he met Kurt's wide eyed gaze. Shaking his head as if to tell him that nothing was wrong, he turned his back on him. He couldn't look at Archer, who was in Kurt's arms, with a guiltless expression.

"Hey, little bro!" Cooper almost yelled, making Blaine wince. "It's good to hear your voice. I should have been checking up on you more, but my schedule has been full. I made sure to get time off on my kid's birthday, though. How is he doing? I miss him so much."

Blaine wanted to tell Coop that he'd never even held him, but he kept his mouth shut. He had to force himself to come to terms with the fact that Cooper was Archer's real dad. "He's fine."

Cooper's reply was more hesitant, "You sound so serious. Can I talk to him? You haven't even sent me any pictures of him yet! What's he look like? Is he talking?"

Blaine had another brief urge to tell Cooper that Kurt often said Archer looked like him, but he didn't. Rubbing the nape of his neck, he hit down everything good in him and said, "He just went down for a nap."

It took Cooper a few more minutes to answer, and then he finally said, "Oh. Well… okay. I was just hoping I could talk to my kid on his birthday. I can't believe he's one already." After a moment of having nothing to say and hearing nothing from Blaine, he cleared his throat, "Is he going to wake up soon? I have a meeting in about an hour, but I could leave early."

For a second, Blaine actually felt like he was dying. The breath rushed out of his throat and he squeezed his eyes shut. "No…" he said between two pursed lips, his voice so strangled that he barely got the word out, "don't call back. He won't be up for a while."

"Alright." Coop's voice was flat with disappointment, "I'll let Alicia know. She was looking forward to hearing about him. Uh… let him know that his dad says to have a good birthday, okay? And that I love him?"

"Okay." Blaine said lowly, clicking the call off before he completely collapsed. He wondered if that was one of the worst things he'd ever done, and knew that if he had a baby he wouldn't want anyone to keep him from it.

Ignoring Carole and Burt's raised brows, he stuffed his phone in his pocket and went back into the living room. Kurt and Archer were playing with two dolls, and Hunter was hugging his teddy bear and trying to feed him a leftover sandwich.

Kurt looked up from his little doll and quietly asked Blaine, "Who was that?"

"No one." Blaine shrugged it off, and Kurt went back to playing with his doll, trusting him too easily.

Laying his head in his hand, he stared at Archer, who was babbling to Kurt about his little doll. He looked over at Blaine and reached out for him, a wide smile tugging at his red lips. "Daddy, play with me!" Reaching for another doll, he gave it to Blaine. "That's Cinderella. She's missing her shoe. She's waiting for a prince to give it back."

Blaine looked at the doll's feet, one of them covered in a glass slipper. He held out the doll and tried to play with his husband and Archer, but he was too distracted by the horrid thoughts of how hard it would be to wake up in the morning without their eager kisses on his cheeks, or to walk from room to room without feeling their little fingers sliding through his, or to fall asleep at night without their softs breaths on his neck and their tiny bodies curled up against his heart.


	12. I'm Not Over

Author's note: I'm really sorry about the late update! My brother came home for the weekend and I didn't have very much writing time, and then I had a lot of homework last week. I don't really like this chapter because I was trying to force it out whenever I had the chance, and then I actually wrote the memory part on pieces of notebook paper yesterday during my study halls, and I was trying to make it sound better when I typed it out, but I think it actually got worse. So, I'm hoping that this weekend, I'll get more writing time for my next chapter. Also, if anyone has any memory ideas, I'd really like to hear them. At this point, I don't have many more ideas for those. But, yeah, I hope you guys like this one :)

ObsessiveGleeSyndrome: Thanks! :D The babies are so cute to me. I feel terrible for Blaine when it comes to the babies :/ He knows he has to lose the babies one day and he can't do anything about it. I need to stop giving Blaine the angsty plots. Poor Blaine :P

* * *

_Blaine pushed the front door open, squinting through the bright light that warmed his face. Stepping onto the crunchy grass, he turned his head when he heard a soft sound. Kurt was sitting at a little table, his dolls and teddy bears patiently waiting for their tea in the chairs around him. Waving his hand for Blaine to come over, Kurt said, "Would you be kind and drink tea with me? It's very delicious." He licked his lips as if remembering how good it tasted, then he looked at a plate of treats. "My daddy made us muffins, too!"_

_Raising his brows, Blaine slowly walked across the lawn and pulled an empty chair out. He sat down, his stomach growling as he sniffed the warm berries in the crumbly sweets. When Kurt handed him a cup and poured steaming tea into it, he took a long drink. "Thank you."_

_"I'm so glad you came outside with me." Kurt murmured over the top of his cup. "I just love having tea parties… and I think this is a yummy breakfast. And it's such a beautiful day, isn't it?"_

_Blaine looked out at the street, a random car driving by every few minutes. It was quiet, which made Blaine feel relaxed. Leaning back in his seat, he closed his eyes and bit into a moist muffin. When Kurt moved beside of him, his small hand brushing his arm, he opened his eyes again. Kurt was leaning across the table and trying to scoot their book closer to himself. Plopping back down, he held the book out to Blaine. "Can you please read to me?"_

_Taking the book from Kurt, Blaine opened it to the next chapter and cleared his throat. "Juliet became so miserable that she ran away from her home." Kurt's little jaw dropped with surprise, so Blaine leaned closer to him and let him curl up against his chest. "She went to find Romeo, and he took her to one of the few places he felt safe. They wanted to be together without the threat of being torn apart again, so they eloped."_

_Kurt gasped, his eyes widening to the size of saucers. "But didn't Juliet want a pretty wedding one day? And what about her dad walking her up the aisle? I dream of a wedding with my family there to give me smiles as I walk up the aisle… to you, of course."_

_Wrapping his arm around Kurt, Blaine rubbed his back to comfort him. "Romeo told Juliet to go back to her family, who he knew she loved with all her heart. She did miss them very much, so she did go back, but only after he promised her that he would come to her window every night. Her family was relieved to see her home safe, and she was just as happy to be with her adoring parents. But it didn't take very long for her father to find Romeo one night when he was visiting his wife, and he sent Romeo away and locked Juliet in her room to keep her from him."_

_He got to the end of the chapter and closed the book, then looked at Kurt, whose eyes were still huge. Rubbing the nape of his neck, he said lowly, "Do you want me to read you a different book?"_

_"Oh, no! Please, I'd like to hear the end of our story." He pleaded, his bottom lip pushing out. "It's just very sad, and I cry very easily. But it is a dear story to me."_

_Blaine kissed his forehead to soothe him, and Kurt laid his hand on Blaine's chest. Resting against him, Kurt tightened his grip on Blaine when a car pulled onto their road and slowed down in front of his house. "Who is that?" His little mouth fell open when the car turned into his driveway, "I should tell my daddy that we have a visitor!"_

_Blaine reached for Kurt before he wriggled off his seat. He thought he recognized the car, but he hadn't seen it in a while. One of the windows rolled down, and a dark haired boy stuck his head out. He waved at Blaine, and Blaine lifted his hand, but he didn't move it. "Blaine!" The boy yelled, climbing out and throwing his arms apart. "I'm home!"_

_Frowning at his brother, Blaine stayed where he was, but Kurt wiggled out of his grip and dropped to the ground. Even though he had no idea who the other boy was, he seemed to appreciate his enthusiasm and hopped up and down. "Hello!"_

_The boy ran over to them, picking Blaine up and crushing him against his chest. "Look at how much you've grown! You're about as tall as my knee, aren't you?" He noticed Kurt still bouncing and glanced down at him, and a wide smile pulled at his lips. "Well, who are you, cutie?" He knelt down by Kurt, who gave him a sweet smile._

_Kurt held a small hand out, "I'm Kurt." Suddenly wrinkling his nose with confusion, he looked between Blaine and the boy he didn't know, "Who are you?"_

_Blaine finally jerked away from his brother after a moment of struggling, but he put a heavy hand on his shoulder. "I'm Coop, this guy's older brother." Playfully pushing Blaine, Coop fell onto his butt. "What are you doing over here, Blainey?"_

_"He made a friend." Kurt happily squeaked, wrapping his arms around Blaine. "And now he visits me every day and reads me a story. And I'm so happy that he does!" Twirling in a circle to show how happy he was, he wobbled a little and started to fall._

_Cooper reached out to catch him, "Careful, sweetie. You'll get dizzy if you spin around again." Smirking at Kurt, he slung an arm around Blaine's neck and scrubbed his hair. "I think he's a good friend for you, bud." When he turned to Kurt again, the corners of his lips slowly lowered. "Have you brought him to Mom or Dad yet?"_

_Blaine shook his head, knowing why Cooper had asked about their parents. He'd realized from a young age that his parents didn't accept anything different from them, and he knew what they would say about Kurt and all of his dresses and ribbons and bows. The thought of him ever coming near them terrified him._

_Cooper patted his back as if to reassure him that he would keep Blaine's secret. "It's okay. All I want is for you to be happy." He muttered in his ear, and Blaine leaned back into his brother. He trusted him because he'd never done him wrong, and he believed his promise that he could hold onto Kurt._

* * *

Blaine thudded up the stairs with two bags slung over his shoulder, one filled with what he thought was Kurt's perfumes and soaps and the other with his and Kurt's nightclothes and underwear. Tightening his grip on the bags, he approached the slightly open bedroom door and looked inside, seeing his small but perfect family around the little bed in the middle of the room. Archer and Hunter were sitting on the edge of the bed, their arms around each other and their tiny feet kicking with excitement. Their eyes were wide as they watched Kurt pad across the room and go through the closet, picking out the clothes and neatly folding them.

After Kurt flitted back over to them with another shirt in his hands, Archer reached for his hand and wrapped his pudgy fingers around it. Smiling at the needy baby, Kurt bent over and scooped him up, giving him gentle kisses to his cheeks, "Oh, Archer, we're going home today, my love! It's so beautiful there. But it will be a very long trip, so bring your favorite, little doll to play with… if you don't snooze the whole way!"

Blaine smirked at his cheerful husband who carried Archer over to the closet and let him pull the clothes off the hangers. Archer grabbed a pair of shorts and a jacket and dropped them into the suitcase when Kurt brought him back over to it, then he batted at Hunter, who was staring up at them. "Hunner!" Archer touched a piece of Hunter's spiky hair, gently tugging it before Kurt lifted him back up. Suddenly looking worried with furrowed brows and a puckered lip, Archer patted Kurt's cheek, "_Père?_"

Kurt stopped moving at the sound of Archer's high pitched voice, and he stroked his rumpled face with a pink fingertip, "Yes, my darling? Why is your brow so wrinkled? Are you fretting the trip?" He gave Archer a very sweet smile and a comforting kiss, "Don't worry about a thing, sweet, little one. We'll be in California before it even gets dark… and your daddy packed yummy snacks for you so your belly wouldn't be rumbling all day."

Archer's small mouth drooped a little more, and his eyes widened to the size of saucers as if he was really worried. Blaine took a step forward in case he started crying. "But what about Hunner's drawings? We're not leaving those, are we? I would be sad if Hunner cried because we didn't take them with us."

"Oh, darling, no." Kurt hugged Archer to his chest, gently bouncing him, "We'll take every drawing with us, and your daddy will hang them up wherever you like." Kissing Archer again, he set him down by Hunter, and Hunter leaned against him.

Blaine gazed at his doting husband as he whirled around and swished back over to the closet, his white skirt fluttering around his long legs. Only looking away from his enthralling husband when he heard a chirp from behind him, he felt the birds brush between his legs, waddling into the bedroom. Hunter crawled over to the side of the bed to greet them, his small fists opening and closing as he stretched for them.

Kurt turned around at the sound of twittering and flapping wings, and he spotted Blaine. He obviously hadn't been expecting him to be watching him because he jumped, and then a slow smile tugged at his pink lips. "Oh! You surprised me!" Putting his fingers to his lips, Kurt looked up at him with wide eyes. "Not that I'm not happy to see you! I always am." He shyly smiled and turned back to the closet, hiding his pink face from Blaine. "I thought you were still packing in the bathroom."

Setting his bags by his feet, Blaine walked into the room and stopped by his husband, taking the clothes out of his hands, "Everything is already out of the bathroom. I put a few bags downstairs. Let me help you."

Kurt smiled as Blaine took the clothes back to the suitcase and tucked them into it, "Thank you. That's very kind of you." Wandering over to the bed, Kurt sat down beside of Hunter, who was chewing on his teddy bear's ear. "It's nice to rest my feet before the trip. My toes always get so sore in my heels." He looked down at his light pink high heels with a sad expression.

"I'll rub your feet when we get home." Blaine stuffed the rest of the clothes in the suitcase, bending for an appreciative kiss from Kurt when he tilted his chin. They parted with a soft sound, but Blaine briefly smiled against Kurt's mouth when he heard Archer giggling. Pulling away from Kurt, he turned to Archer and pulled him close, smothering him in kisses. "You think it's funny when I give your _père_ kisses? I'll give you a thousand kisses."

Archer laughed and pushed on him, his little nose wrinkling as he squealed. When Blaine lifted, he squirmed from under him and hid behind Hunter, who held his arms up, "Daddy, hold me."

Picking Hunter up, Blaine pinned him to his chest and patted his bottom with one hand, using his other to zip up the suitcase. He kissed Kurt again, "I'm going to take the luggage out to the car, sweetheart. Can you make sure the babies have warm bottles, please?" Pressing his lips to Hunter's hair, he put him down in Kurt's lap, "Honey, are you taking your teddy bear with you in the car? I'll put the rest of your toys in a suitcase. You can have them when we get home. Archer, be good for Daddy and pick out one of your baby dolls, okay?"

Archer did as he was told and scooted to the edge of the bed, swinging his legs off of it. He poked at the floor before sliding off, and he scurried over to his almost empty toy box. After Kurt stood up with Hunter in his arms and went over to Archer to help him pick a doll, Blaine left the room and took the stairs two at a time.

There were a few boxes and suitcases by the door, and he grabbed one of them. Dragging it out to the car, he saw Burt and Carole already loading a few of the babies' things into the back. He set it down on top of other boxes, then turned to Burt when he felt his huge hand on his back. "Are you guys leaving now?" He asked lowly, following Blaine back inside.

Blaine nodded, stopping in the doorway and reaching for one of Kurt's pink bags. "The plane leaves in two hours." Hearing Kurt moving around somewhere above him, he glanced up at the ceiling, trying to figure out what he was up to. "Thanks for everything you guys have done. The babies loved their birthday party… and Kurt and I appreciate you watching them over our honeymoon."

Carole grinned at him, "It was no problem, hon. You've raised two good kids. You're going to bring them back more often, that's for sure."

Blaine said nothing to that, but he privately agreed with her, that he did want to come back to his old home again. After he carried a few more bags out, he caught Kurt padding down the stairs with Archer in his arms and Hunter hanging on to his small hand. Smiling at his husband and children, he slowly walked toward them, taking Kurt into his arms. "You can get into the car with the children when you're ready. I just have a few more boxes to take out."

Archer tightened his fingers around his Jasmine doll when Blaine leaned down for a kiss. Boosting him up higher, Kurt stroked a curl out of his face, "Darling, let's make your bottle now. Come, Hunter. It'll just be a few more minutes before we go to the airport, little ones." He walked out of the room, his skirt waving behind him and Hunter scampering on his heels.

Kurt disappeared behind the kitchen door, and Carole went in with him to talk to him. Turning away from the closed door, Blaine took the rest of the luggage out and shut the back door, then said bye to Burt, who lumbered back into the house to give his son a hug.

Blaine waited by the car, checking the car seats to make sure they were strapped down, and he looked over his shoulder at the sound of a door opening. Keegan, who had spent the morning getting his own bedroom packed away, came out first, Hunter tucked under his arm. Hunter had Pavarotti and Everett on his shoulder, and both birds were curiously cocking their heads. Keegan held the door open for Kurt, who quietly thanked him as he stepped out, Archer waddling behind him with a handful of Kurt's dress in his little fist. As Kurt got closer to the car, he bent down and lifted Archer, then held him out for Blaine.

Blaine tucked the baby away in a car seat, and put Hunter in the one next to his. Handing them their bottles, he scrubbed their hair and kissed both of them, putting a little bag beside of them. "Daddy put snacks and blankets and pillows in there for you two if you get hungry or cold on the plane. Are you two okay? You need to tell Daddy if something goes wrong. We'll be at the airport in twenty minutes."

They both nodded and fell against each other, so Blaine shut the door, watching Keegan get in on the other side and brush his fingers through Archer's messy curls. Walking around to the front of the car, Blaine helped Kurt sit down in the passenger side and strapped him in, then climbed in on the driver's side. He backed out of the driveway, seeing Burt and Carole wave at them from the doorway. Kurt smiled at his parents, and Archer and Hunter lifted their tiny hands and waved a few times.

The drive to the airport was mostly quiet, except for Keegan murmuring to the babies when they squirmed. He seemed very soothing to them, his voice low and gentle, even though Blaine couldn't understand what he was saying. Kurt glanced over his shoulder a few times and babbled to the babies about how pretty the beach was, since they couldn't remember it from a few months ago.

When Blaine pulled into the parking lot, he stepped out first and helped Kurt to his feet. Kurt gathered their babies like little ducks, protectively holding them while Keegan and Blaine lifted the luggage out of the back. "Stay close to me, darlings." Kurt said softly, taking their hands as they tottered toward the airport.

Keegan said something to Kurt, and Kurt nodded and seemed grateful for whatever it was. They found their plane gate after about fifteen minutes because the luggage was too heavy to walk too fast and the babies and Kurt couldn't keep up with Keegan and Blaine's ground eating strides. After putting their bags on the counter where they checked in, Blaine took his family over to the restaurants to get his children something to eat before the plane ride.

Hunter and Archer wanted peanut butter and banana sandwiches from the deli with cookies as dessert, so Blaine ordered those and two orange juices, and a cappuccino for himself and a muffin for his husband. Keegan tried to order a coffee, but Kurt had to translate for him.

Both of the children got a little sticky as they bit down on their sandwiches, the banana and peanut butter squirting onto their cheeks and fingers. They looked adorable with goo all over their chubby cheeks, but Blaine had to clean them up before they got on the plane.

Blaine had bought his family first class seats, and he was relieved that they were mostly by themselves, the only other couple a few rows up. Putting Archer and Hunter down first, Blaine threw himself down beside of them, wanting to be close in case they got upset or their bottles spilled. Kurt and Keegan sat down across from them, the two rows of chairs facing each other. Kurt seemed very excited when the plane rolled backwards, scooting to the edge of his seat and chattering to the babies about how happy they should be, but Blaine could tell that Keegan was uneasy by his furrowed expression.

He wondered if Keegan was worried about leaving everything he had ever known, the place where he had fallen in love with a boy who was taken from him. Blaine knew how difficult leaving the place where he had been raised had been for him all those months ago, so he could understand how terrified he must have been.

After the plane was off the ground and the babies had settled down from their excited bouncing and clapping, Blaine leaned back and closed his eyes, wanting to get in a nap or two on the long flight. He was relaxed as he drifted in and out, feeling Hunter's soft arm brushing his every time he made a big gesture, probably to hold up his teddy bear as he and Archer played with their toys. They happily chattered about their toys, Archer babbling about how he wanted to brush Jasmine's hair when he got home, and Hunter listening to him and quietly putting in how much his teddy bear liked to snuggle him. Kurt's voice also rang like a chiming bell into his ear, a sweet sound that he couldn't understand but still enjoyed hearing.

Blaine wasn't sure how long had passed, or if he had even fallen asleep, but he jerked out of his sleepy daze with an embarrassing snort when a tiny hand patted his face. He lifted his heavy lids and saw blurred faces, a chubby one with freckles very close to his. "Daddy is sleepy?" A little voice said very quietly, and someone else made a soft noise.

A small hand stroked the wild curls hanging around the pudgy face, and Blaine heard the sweetest of sounds, "Oh, darling, your daddy is very sleepy. Shh… he hasn't been resting very well. You don't want to stir him." Soft fingertips gently brushed his cheek, and Blaine leaned into them, nuzzling his entire head into that tiny palm.

He heard a zipper being pulled, and then a heavy blanket was draped over his lap. "Daddy can have my blanket so he sleeps better." A wet pair of lips touched his cheek, "Sleep good, Daddy."

"That was very kind of you, Archer." The pretty voice said softly, and Blaine listened to the pop of a kiss, and a little boy's high pitched giggle.

Blaine snored again, fading into a dreamless black with the babies' cooing and the beautiful voice lulling him.

A while later, he felt something shaking his shoulders, so he looked around through half-hooded lids. His seat shuddered again, and he slowly lifted his head. Glancing out the window, he reached for his cramped shoulder, rubbing soreness out of it. He blinked sleep out of his eyes so he could see the gray sky, not quite dark yet. The plane lowered another few inches, giving Blaine a good view of the airport, and he noticed worn out people around him start groaning and shifting their tight muscles.

He flicked his eyes to his family, his babies collapsed over each other and buried under one of the blankets. Across from Blaine, Kurt was resting in Keegan's arms, his cheek squished to his chest and his lips slightly parted. Keegan was the only one awake, his eyes narrow and glassy, obviously distracted by something that Blaine didn't know about.

Blaine hesitated before reaching for his babies, staring at Keegan's hollow cheeks, imagining the tears rolling down them. He remembered the violent pain he'd felt when he thought Kurt had left him, the thrashing of his sore heart, the want to be numb, the need to be dead so he didn't have to feel the horrific wound anymore. He wondered if Keegan had felt like that every day for the past seven years, when Blaine had barely lasted ten months. But, despite his heartbreak, he had promised to stay alive for Kurt, who needed him, and it meant everything to Blaine that he hadn't hurt him by trying to kill himself again.

Realizing he was being stared at, Keegan turned his turquoise eyes to Blaine, some sadness still in them. His eyes were gentle, not accusing or angry, as if he knew that Blaine wasn't judging him. They were both alike in some sorts. When Hunter kicked and started fussing, he tore his wide eyed gaze away, and he pulled Hunter from his seat. Gently patting him and hushing him, Keegan said something to Kurt when he lifted his head at the sound of Hunter's spitting and mewling.

Blaine lifted Archer into his arms, keeping him wrapped in his blanket because he was still sleeping. Taking his husband's hand, he helped his family off the plane and out to the parking lot. He got Kurt and the babies settled into a car that he had rented with Keegan to look out for them before he went back in to gather the luggage that Burt and Carole weren't shipping to them later.

He was glad Keegan wasn't coming in with him to help, mostly because even though Keegan couldn't understand him, he wouldn't have known what to talk about with him, anyway. He couldn't tell him that it was going to be okay when not having Kurt had nearly killed him. Blaine knew it would be hard to have Keegan in his home when there was so little he could do for him to make him happy, but he thought he understood him, anyway.

After he went back to the car and put the luggage into the back, he climbed into the driver's seat and started the car. Kurt was curled up in the seat beside of his, his lashes fluttering on pink cheeks. Blaine pulled out of the parking spot and drove onto the road, streetlights making the street bright enough so he could see.

It only took a few minutes to get to the boardwalk, and he pulled off the narrow road and into the sandy parking lot behind the beach houses. Stepping out again and pausing to yawn and stretch his muscles, he went around the car to pick Kurt up. Kurt nuzzled under his chin, holding onto him as he opened the back door and reached for Archer. Keegan draped Hunter across his shoulder, then grabbed one of the bags out of the back.

Blaine led his family up to the dark beach house, but he briefly looked around at the ocean, recalling when he'd come here a few months ago. The memories were terrifying, dropping out of the car and screaming into his palms. He'd ran away from Quinn, who he thought was his wife at the time, and hid away in the room upstairs, unwilling to see or hear from anyone. He brought himself back before he was too far gone in his panic over his past, and he opened the door and flipped a light on.

Slipping past him, Keegan turned in a circle, looking around the entire room as if he was searching for something. After a few seconds, he glanced at Blaine, his eyes huge with what Blaine thought was fear. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it because he knew Blaine couldn't understand him. Pointing down the hallway, he let his mouth fall open again, "Here…"

Blaine raised his brows, trying to make sense of what Keegan wanted from him. "What?"

Keegan squeezed his eyes shut, obviously frustrated, "Where… I…" He covered his face with his hand, going through the very few English words he knew. "Where I… rest?"

Blaine thought he got it, and he walked over to the staircase, going up a few steps. Nodding at one of the doors, he said, "There."

Lowering his head as if he was humiliated, Keegan followed Blaine up the stairs, distracting himself from his inability to speak by patting Hunter's bottom. He went into his bedroom but stopped in the doorway, holding Hunter out to Blaine. Blaine took him and tried to give Keegan a comforting expression, then he walked away from him and helped Kurt, who was barely awake, up another set of stairs.

He pushed open the door to his old bedroom, seeing footballs scattered on the floor and dirty jerseys thrown around. Frowning at his past, he walked farther in and opened the door to the guest bedroom. It was mostly empty in there, which was a relief to Blaine because he wanted as little of the way he used to be around his new family.

Laying the babies and Kurt down, Blaine covered them in blankets and sat down on the edge of the bed. He watched Kurt curl up next to the babies, his little body protectively wrapping around them. Blaine was unsure what to think of his future with his new family, but he knew that as long as he had them to hold and kiss, he'd be okay.


	13. Coming to Terms

Author's note: I'm actually really happy with this chapter :) I had a lot of time to think it through and an amazing idea I got from one of my wonderful readers was really a relief when it came to writing the memory. So, thank kathrynevie21 for baby!Klaine going trick-or-treating. I'm going to have so much fun writing that :) But, yeah, lots of Cooper in the next chapter! I really like him. Hope you guys like my next few chapters as much as I think I will!

kathrynevie21: XD I probably do write too much, but I love it too much to spend time away from it. I loved writing the proposal part! Archer's so bossy :P I'm not going to give away anything because that would take the fun out of it, as much as I love giving spoilers, but Archer will be happy in the family that he ends up with. That's all I can say, though. I know, Blaine has just become Archer's daddy to me :P Sometimes I have to remind myself that Archer will eventually have a plot that deals with Cooper because it's easy to forget that Coop's the real dad. I love Uncle!Keegie with the babies! I'm so glad he moved in with Klaine. Keegan's not really ashamed of his inability to speak English. He does understand that he could learn it. He was just embarrassed for that brief second because he was talking to Blaine and Blaine is kind of intimidating XD But he'll get over that when he realizes that Blaine won't mock him. And, yeah, Blaine's dad won't be making an appearance for quite a while, which is part of the reason why it's so difficult to come up with things for them to do, because there's no drama going on :P But thanks so much for the idea! It helped me so much and I'm looking forward to writing it! Kurt and Halloween just seems like a fun idea to me. The only thing I changed was Coop taking them instead of Burt, but I hope you don't mind :)

* * *

_Blaine waited by the door for his brother, who was stuffing a few more things into his sleeping bag, and he looked up when he stomped into the hallway. His brother had always been big for his age, while Blaine was small, so he had a long way to lift his head before he found his face. Reaching for his bag, he frowned when Cooper pulled it away and grabbed an extra coat and a hat from the coat rack. "It's getting kind of chilly out, little buddy. I've got to dress you in layers so your fingers don't fall off."_

_Glancing at his hands and wondering if his brother was joking around with him, Blaine let his brother wrap him in piles of fluff and stuffing. He could barely walk, but he didn't want his fingers to fall off. Cooper took his hand and led him out the door, keeping him close because it was so late and he couldn't see every car driving by. They could have left earlier, but his mom had come home to do work on her laptop._

_As they got closer to Kurt's little house, Coop squeezed Blaine's hand and bent to give him his bag. "I can only stay for a few minutes, bud, just to ask Kurt's mom or dad about tomorrow night." He knocked on Kurt's door a few times, then rocked back on his heels and winked at Blaine. Blaine didn't know why, but he didn't know why Coop did a lot of things._

_From inside the house, Blaine heard a squeal of delight, and then little feet thumping against the floor. A second later, the doorknob twisted, and a pair of crinkled, blue eyes peeked out at Blaine. "Blaine!" Kurt hopped up and down, jumping into Blaine's arms. "Daddy, it's Blaine!"_

_"I got that from your first scream, honey." Burt called from another room. He lumbered into the room and raised his brows at Coop, then shrugged the new guest off and sat down in his recliner._

_Cooper chuckled at Kurt's excitement, reaching down to scrub his soft hair that smelled like a bath and shampoo. "Hey, sweetie. You're so bouncy, aren't you? Is there any way I could talk to your dad over there?"_

_"Sure!" Kurt popped on his toes again, scurrying deeper into the living room with Blaine's hand in his. He plopped down on the rug in the middle of the room, his wide eyes moving from Cooper to his dad._

_"What's going on?" Burt said lowly, keeping his eyes on his son as he started going through Blaine's bag. "You're Blaine's…?"_

_"Older brother." Cooper bent down to smooth Blaine's wild curls, much to his annoyance as he pushed his hands away. "I'm Cooper. I was wondering if I could take these two out for Halloween tomorrow."_

_While Burt scratched his head and thought that over, Kurt asked Blaine, "What's a Holloween?" Blaine shrugged because he didn't know, either, and he returned his attention to his brother._

_"You know, you'll have to take it easy on him." Burt warned him, his lips pressing together. "Kurt gets upset real easy. I have no problem with it, as long as you keep him nearby and bring him back early. We would have to throw something together, too. He's never been out for Halloween before so he doesn't have any old costumes he can reuse." Rubbing the nape of his neck, he muttered, "Are you sure you want to take a five year old out? Don't you have things you want to do with your friends?"_

_Cooper shook his head, rubbing Blaine's back, "I'd rather be with my little brother. I'm rarely ever home because I work for my dad's commercial company, so I try to enjoy all the time I can with Blaine. And, you know, if he made a little friend, I'm happy to bring him along, too. What do you think, Kurt? You want to dress up and get some candy?"_

_Kurt's little mouth fell open, "I love dressing up! It's my favorite thing to do!" Patting his fingertips together, he chirped, "Can I be a princess with a tiara and sparkles? My _maman_ gave me glass slippers just like Cinderella wears for my third birthday!"_

_Holding out his hand, Cooper tried to get a high five from Kurt, but Kurt was confused by what he wanted and draped his hand over his. "That sounds good, cutie. I'm sure we'll have time before we go to the houses to buy you a dress. Blaine needs to get an outfit, too. What do you think for him, an ogre mask?"_

_Kurt pushed his bottom lip out and covered his eyes with his hands, "No, he'll scare me!" Boosting himself to his feet, Kurt whirled around in a circle, happily dancing and spinning. "I like Holloween!"_

_Scrubbing Kurt's hair again, Coop knelt down in front of his brother and gave him a hug, "Okay, I'll be back in the morning and the two of us will go out to breakfast… unless Kurt wants to come with us. Kurt, do you want to come with me and Blaine to get pancakes and waffles?"_

_Kurt clapped again, so Coop took that as a yes. He kissed his brother's forehead, "Be good for Kurt. I'm right across the street if you need me. I'll see you in the morning, little guy." Flicking Blaine's nose, he gave him another kiss, then he got to his feet._

_After Coop walked away and the door clicked shut behind him, Burt got to his feet and reached for a lamp to flip it off, "Alright, boys, I want you to get a good rest tonight. It sounds like you've got a busy day tomorrow. Kurt, how about you read your story tomorrow… maybe after you get home? If you're not stuffing your cheeks with lollipops."_

_"Yes, Daddy." Kurt said, even though he looked disappointed that he couldn't hear if Romeo and Juliet actually got together tonight. "Thank you for letting me spend time with Blaine and his brother, Daddy."_

_"Have fun tomorrow, honey." Burt left them in the living room as he walked back to his bedroom._

_Lifting his fingers to his lips as he quietly yawned, Kurt scooted closer to Blaine and laid his cheek on his chest, "It's getting late, anyway, and I want to be wide awake so I can treasure every moment in our story."_

_Blaine helped Kurt over to the staircase, bringing him down to his bedroom. Holding him in his arms, he got over to the edge of the bed and laid Kurt on the blankets. He tucked him under and stared at him for a moment, his suddenly sleepy expression. "I'm too happy for tomorrow to sleep." Kurt said through another yawn, and Blaine counted the seconds before he was snoozing._

_Smiling at him, Blaine climbed onto the bed next to him. Like Kurt, he was looking forward to tomorrow and having the whole day with him and his brother, but he quickly fell asleep beside of Kurt's warm body, their arms wrapped around each other, Kurt's shoulder a soft pillow under his cheek._

* * *

Blaine picked up another jersey that smelled of dirt and sweat, the front of it covered in beer stains, dark brown splotches dried into the ruined material. He coughed at the stench and stuffed it into the garbage bag, then reached for an old football that was coming apart at the seams. After he'd picked up the mess on the floor, he went over to his walls and started peeling posters of football players down. There were only a few so it didn't take long for him to strip the walls, some of the paint chipping off as he tore the tape away.

He figured he could paint the walls later, and turned his focus to moving furniture out of the room. Lifting the mattress off the bed, he dragged it out into the hallway and set it down. He went back in for the bed frame, but he noticed a small book between the bars. He bent down to grab it, figuring it was just a sports magazine, but a picture fell out of it.

Sitting down by the bed, he picked up the picture and took a deep breath at the sight of himself from about four years ago, when he was only sixteen. He was with Karofsky in the picture, and Karofsky had an arm slung around his shoulders. His hair was dangling in his face, a piece of it sticking to his bottom lip, which was busted and bloody. He reached up to his mouth and touched the spot that was broken in the picture, feeling a slight indent there. A loose jersey hung around his shoulders, smeared with dirt and blood.

Even though he knew he'd regret it, he flipped open the book and found pictures of himself pasted onto the pages. He had the longest, messiest hair in all of them, always hanging around two hollow cheeks. In most of them, he was doing the most disgusting things, like dropping his pants and sticking his ass out in front of the cheerleaders, or licking some girl's cheek, or sticking his tongue into someone's mouth. Karofsky was always nearby in the pictures, watching him from a few feet away, a smirk on his face. In one of them, he was grabbing Blaine's crotch as if he was going to squeeze hard enough to hurt him, and in another he was swigging out of a beer bottle next to Blaine. Blaine was passed out on a couch in one of the pictures, completely drunk, and Karofsky was stretched out beside him, his hand on his chest.

For a second, Blaine thought he was looking at someone else, someone he didn't know and didn't want to know. Rubbing his face with his hand, he put the book aside when he heard Kurt's singing from outside of the door. The tune was pretty and soothing to Blaine's throbbing headache, so high pitched and cheerful.

The door opened and he looked up, staring at his husband as he padded through the room. He smiled at Blaine and knelt down beside of him, handing him a bowl of soup. "I heated up dinner for you in case your belly was rumbling." Pressing a kiss to Blaine's cheek, Kurt started to move away, but stopped when he noticed the book beside of Blaine, seeing pictures of Blaine kissing one of the cheerleaders, and one of him falling into Karofsky because he was drunk, and another of him getting into a pool and grabbing for an almost naked girl.

Frowning at the pictures, Kurt pressed his fingertips to his lips. Blaine didn't want him to see the book anymore so he yanked it closer to himself and closed it, "It smells good, baby. Thank you."

Kurt blinked at the book, but he didn't bring it up, much to Blaine's relief. He was very good at telling when Blaine just wanted to leave something alone. "Keegan took the babies outside to play by the beach. Why don't you come out with me and have fun? We can worry about unpacking later."

"I'll be down in a few minutes, honey." Blaine told him, taking a bite of the soup because his stomach was growling. It was delicious and warm on his tongue, just as he expected it would be. "I want to get this room cleaned out. What do you think about changing my parents' old bedroom into something for the babies or you… a play room or an extra closet… whatever you want it to be… and the babies can sleep in here."

"I think that's a wonderful idea." Kurt said softly, glancing around the room, "Yes, this is a perfect room for them. We could put the bed over there and their toys in that corner. But we would need to paint, wouldn't we? A very comforting but happy color… maybe yellow or light blue."

"Mm hm." Blaine gave his husband another kiss before he left, noticing him look at the book one more time before he boosted himself to his feet.

Reaching down for Blaine, Kurt brushed his fingers through his curls and murmured, "You've changed. But even if you hadn't, I would still love you with all my heart." He bent to kiss the top of Blaine's head, then he whirled around and swished out of the room.

Blaine stared after him, then he looked back down at that damned book. He wondered if Kurt really would love him if he was the same as he used to be. Shoving the book into the bag, he tied the top of it and carried it into the hallway, where he put it down next to the other things he was throwing out. It was like he was getting rid of himself, but it didn't bother him as much as he thought it would, not when the life he was living now was so perfect.

He returned to his bedroom and pushed out the rest of the furniture, leaving the room completely bare. It still smelled like a sweaty teenager and the carpets were stained, but he decided he would fix that tomorrow. Turning away, he started toward the stairs, taking the two flights down to the living room. He heard squealing from outside, and some huffing and grunting.

Glancing through the window, he saw his family running along the edge of the water. Kurt held onto his blowing skirt and skipped away from Archer, who was toddling on his heels and reaching for the hem of his dress. Blaine caught Hunter ramming into Keegan's legs from the corner of his eye, and Keegan fell backwards, splashing into the rising water. Hunter went down with him, then Archer skittered over to them and pounced on Keegan's chest.

Smirking at them, Blaine walked over to the door and opened it, feeling a gentle breeze run through his curls. He took a step out and sank into the cool sand that squished between his toes. Hearing Kurt giggle again, he watched his husband bend down to scoop Hunter into his arms, pressing kisses to his dark cheeks. "Daddy!" He screeched, waving his little hands and batting at Blaine.

Blaine raised his brows when all of the attention was on him, and he met Kurt's shimmering, blue gaze. Kurt pranced over to him and handed Hunter to him, then wrapped his small hands around his arms. "Come, Blaine!" He chirped, pulling Blaine to the shore with him.

Quietly chuckling when Archer stumbled over to him and knocked his head on his leg, he sat down by his son and pulled him close, kissing his forehead. He let Hunter go when he crawled out of his lap, and Archer didn't stay still for long, either, scurrying back to Keegan and picking up piles of wet sand. He scraped it into a small mound and clapped his hands as if he was proud of himself, "That's where _Père_ lives because he's the princess who lives in the castle, just like Cinderella! And Daddy's supposed to rescue him!"

Keegan grinned at him and helped him build a tower on top of the little mound, and Archer bounced up and down, "Now _Père_ is Rapunzel! _Père_, let down your hair so Daddy can climb it and give you a kiss!"

Kurt giggled at the excited baby, leaning down to give him a sweet kiss. Hunter, who had been sitting in Keegan's lap, reached over and knocked the tower down, grinning as the sand tumbled to the ground. Sticking his bottom lip out, Archer crossed his arms over his chest, "Stop it, Hunner! Now Daddy can't rescue _Père!_" He ran over to Hunter, but Hunter was too fast to get to his feet and dart away from him.

Archer chased him into the water and fell against Hunter's chest, taking both of them down. Smiling at his children as they played and wrestled, Kurt plopped beside of Blaine and curled up against his chest. As he felt Kurt hum against his neck, he realized that only a few years ago he'd been next to one of those cheerleaders that didn't even care about him instead. He didn't know what he would be like now had Kurt not found him again, if he would be the way he was back in high school, but he knew that no matter who he was, he would never be this happy.

"I've never told you thank you." He muttered lowly, his eyes following his dripping children as they tottered over to Keegan and hugged his legs, making him wobble and almost teeter over.

He could feel Kurt's gentle gaze on his hard jaw, and he looked down at him. Those blue eyes softened and a pair of pink lips parted, "What for?" He asked so quietly that Blaine almost didn't catch it.

"For saving my life." Blaine bent his neck to kiss Kurt, and Kurt smiled on his dry mouth. His thin arms looped around his neck and he cuddled closer to Blaine, his fingers threading through his hair. Blaine held his husband close, hearing him purr with happiness. Even though he had seen how awful Blaine could be, he still loved him so much, and Blaine felt more grateful for it with every day that he got to hold Kurt in his arms.


	14. The Escapist

Author's note: Hi, guys! Sorry about my late update. I was planning on writing this last week, but then I had a lot of tests, and Friday I had a driving class, and then I've been in and out of the hospital because my grandpa got really sick. So, I stayed up all night on Saturday writing this, and I just finished editing it. I think I have a little bit of a fever so it's been hard to do much except lay around and watch Disney movies. So, yay life. But I think I like this chapter... I hope you guys do. I just had to make the babies like Peter Pan... there was no way around that :P And, of course, baby!Klaine trick-or-treating. They're so cute :) So, I've actually been wondering about this for quite a while, but I kept forgetting to put it in my author's notes, so I wanted to know in what order you wanted me to write the rest of this "series." I've mentioned the three other books I have planned before, but there is a book about Hunter and Archer as teenagers that I'm going to write, and it directly follows the events of this story. And then there will be a story about Keegan and Everett before the murder, and one from the point of view from Karofsky... I think I'll have it right after the murder up until Kurt arrives on that first day in English class. I don't know, they're just stories to fill in vague parts, and I love Keegan and Everett together, even though right now they're just in my head. So, yeah, if you could let me know when you want to read what, or if you could give some title ideas for Keegan and Everett's story and Karofsky's story, it would really help!

kathrynevie21: I'm so glad it meant so much to you! I always love it when my writing makes someone's day. I don't want to be intrusive, but is everything okay? I really hope so! But, I'm really happy my chapter made you feel better :) I can't even thank you enough for the great idea. I had so much fun writing this chapter. You can obviously tell by how long the memory is :P I adore Keegan, too. In the beginning he wasn't even supposed to exist (my Beta actually kind of created him, so I've always been grateful to her) but I love him now. My biggest regret with this story is killing off Everett, but at the time when I came up with the idea of him I had no idea he would mean so much to me now :( So, I'm extremely excited to write Keegan and Everett's love story.

Just to give everyone a spoiler, the Romeo and Juliet book that baby!Klaine just read completely foreshadows one of the other two love stories I'm going to write in this "series." :)

* * *

_Blaine jerked up to the sounds of happy squealing in his ears, a pretty noise that brought him back from his dreamless black to his safe place with Kurt. Lifting his head from his pillow, he opened one eye and gazed at Kurt, who was holding onto him and chirping for him to get ready, that his brother had called and was coming over soon. He yawned from the corner of his mouth, stretching his muscles as Kurt pounced on him and patted him. "Blaine, it's Holloween!" He squealed as if Blaine wasn't already aware of this from his hundreds of other shrieks. "Up, up!"_

_Scooting off the bed with a few last taps to Blaine's shoulders, Kurt pranced around the bed and spun in small circles, "I'm going to be just like Cinderella today!" He suddenly pressed his fingertips to his lips as his eyes widened to the size of saucers, "Oh, I almost forgot my glass slippers!" He scampered away to his closet and buried himself in it, going through his piles and piles of shoes._

_Groaning from sleepiness, Blaine flipped onto his back and stared up at the ceiling for a few more moments, too tired to twitch a finger. It wasn't until Kurt scurried back over to him and kept patting that he actually sat up and slid off the bed, slouching behind Kurt as he darted into the bathroom. Kurt bent over the bathtub and flipped the nozzle, starting to fill it with warm water._

_After he was sure the water was heating up, he went over to the sink to scrub his teeth. Blaine watched his jittery movements, his hips swinging and his hands shaking with excitement. The bath filled while Kurt was still at the sink, so Blaine reached down to turn off the water. Walking toward the door and figuring Kurt wanted to be alone to bathe, Blaine froze when he heard Kurt's soft voice. "You don't want a bath?" Blaine looked at him and raised his brows, his eyes following his little hands as he put the toothbrush down. "It will warm you up before we go out into the chilly weather."_

_"That bath is for me?" Blaine muttered lowly, not understanding what Kurt wanted from him. His jaw dropped a little when Kurt turned away from the sink and reached for the straps of his nightgown, and his eyes snapped to the floor. Suddenly extremely nervous, Blaine wrapped his arms around himself. He'd never seen anyone naked before, and he'd only shown his body in front of his brother, who used to bathe him when he was just a baby. He realized that Kurt thought they could take a bath together, but Blaine wasn't sure if he could get through it without keeping his head turned. Not only was he embarrassed by his stocky, dark body, he felt so nervous that he thought he might faint._

_"Could we take a bath together?" Kurt murmured very quietly, his voice quivering as if he was unsure. "That wouldn't upset you, would it?" His small form appeared in Blaine's vision, and he lifted his head, relieved to see that Kurt had lowered his hands again. It wasn't that he thought Kurt was ugly—not at all—but his own thick body that bothered him. Feeling his cheeks and neck heat up, he gasped when Kurt pinched the hem of his dress and started lifting it._

_He seemed a little coy, too, fidgeting and blushing as he pulled the dress up his thighs. Lifting it over his blond head, he laid it down on the counter, leaving himself in a pair of pink panties with bows at the top. His body was just as pale as Blaine imagined it would be, his hips wide and his stomach thin. He was beautiful from his head to his toes, which made Blaine all the more embarrassed about his bulky, tan body._

_Kurt shivered from the cold air brushing his skin, so Blaine knew he had to get undressed quickly. Reaching for his pants, he bit his bottom lip, almost chewing a hole into it. Slowly turning around, he hesitated for a few seconds before pushing them down, then he got rid of his shirt. He was naked except for his underwear, the briefs clinging to his wide legs. His legs weren't shapely like Kurt's, just thick and brown. He wanted to know what Kurt thought of him, if his body was dreadful to Kurt or if he didn't mind his flaws._

_When he glanced over his shoulder, his eyes widened at the pair of panties laying where Kurt once stood. His gaze shot over to the bath, and he saw Kurt poking at the water with his toes, his little body completely nude. Blaine turned as red as a cherry, and he panicked for only a moment before Kurt sighed and sat down, smiling at the bubbles that tickled his skin. From where he was standing, he could now only see Kurt's chest and higher, which helped him relax. He pushed his briefs down and walked over to Kurt, climbing in without even glimpsing at the water first._

_Spreading his legs around Kurt's, which were pulled to his chest, he stared at Kurt, who smiled at him above the tops of his knees. He looked down at his broad chest again, still anxious about his own skin, but his worry was interrupted when Kurt's small foot pressed to his stomach, white against brown. He suddenly pulled it back and splashed him, his toes flicking the water, and he giggled as droplets hit Blaine's neck and chest._

_Blaine was somehow comforted by that playful splash, and he knew in that one second exactly what Kurt thought of him and his flaws. He cleaned himself off and soaped his body, getting distracted here and there by Kurt's tiny feet, which were against his stomach. Tickling them and feeling Kurt's wrinkled toes, he grinned at how adorable he thought they were and pulled Kurt closer to him, bringing his feet up to his face. He kissed each of those pruney toes, making Kurt squeal and splash him until he was panting for breath._

_Fascinated by Kurt as he soaped his skin and covered himself in bubbles, Blaine leaned forward to touch him, curious of how he felt. He was soft under his strong hands, his skin like silk, so slippery and smooth. Running his fingers down to his collarbone, he dragged them over to his shoulders, then back to his stomach. Kurt wiggled under his touch, but he didn't refuse him._

_He rinsed himself with water and washed the bubbles away, and Blaine trickled water on a few spots that were still shiny. After they were both clean, they stepped out, Blaine bending down to lift Kurt out. He threw a towel around his waist, then bundled Kurt up and rubbed a cloth over his hair. Kurt stayed in his towel for a few minutes while he dried, but Blaine scrubbed himself so he could pull his clothes on sooner. He helped Kurt slip a dress over his head and tie the bow in the back, and after he brushed his teeth, he followed Kurt downstairs._

_Staring at Kurt as he padded up the stairs, Blaine thought about what he looked like under that dress again, his mind stuck on Kurt's little body. He didn't understand how he was so perfect, and secretly he hoped he never would. He always wanted to feel light headed and breathless over Kurt, dazed by his beautiful body._

_Reaching for Kurt's hand, he heard him squeak with delight when he realized that Coop was already waiting for them, lounging on one of the couches with his eyes on the TV. He glanced up at the sound of their footsteps and smirked at Blaine, getting up, "Hey, buddy. Are you ready to get some breakfast?" He glanced over at Kurt, who smiled up at him, and a grin tugged at his mouth, "Well, hey there, little cutie. Do you always look so pretty?"_

_Kurt's little mouth fell open and he hopped up and down, glad that his brilliant fashion tastes had been complimented. Sitting down on his butt by Kurt, Coop said, "Your dad had to go to work but he gave me the okay to take you with me for the day. What do you think? You still want to go with me and Blaine?" When Kurt bobbed his chin a few times, Coop's smile widened, "That still sounds good to me. Listen, you guys, I was thinking we could go get breakfast, then go to the store for some costumes. After that we'll come back here to put on the clothes and maybe have some lunch, then I'll take you guys out around five? We can be back by seven, that way you'll have time to chomp down some candy before you fall asleep."_

_"Okay!" Kurt peeped, while Blaine didn't say much of anything. "I'm so excited for Holloween, Cooper! Thank you for inviting me to spend the day with you and Blaine." Cooper held his hand out for another high five from Kurt, but Kurt was again confused by what he wanted and draped his hand over his._

_Chuckling at Kurt, Coop pulled his hand back and boosted himself to his feet. He grabbed both of their hands and led them out the door, walking them over to his car, which was parked in the driveway. He made sure they were buckled in before climbing into the front seat and strapping himself in. He flipped on the radio and looked back at Kurt, "Kurt, what songs do you like? I could buy a scary Halloween track for you at the store."_

_Kurt's bottom lip puckered, and he briefly looked at Coop before turning his attention to searching everywhere in the car. "I don't want to be spooked!" He cried, his tiny feet kicking. "Are the songs as scary as the Evil Queen from Snow White? Because she makes me cover my eyes!"_

_Cooper put on a station that played mostly pop songs, assuming that Kurt liked that style because Blaine did. "Not that scary, Kurt. Don't worry, little princess, Blaine and I won't let anything spook you. I swear, nothing scares Blaine. Not anything. He's harder than I am. We're just going to some nice houses that give you candy. You'll probably get extra candy because you're cute. But you might have to share with Blaine… that guy's not that cute, so he won't get any candy." When Blaine wrinkled his nose, Cooper laughed aloud._

_Kurt was instantly comforted by what Cooper said, "I like candy! And I'll give Blaine all of his favorite candies because I like him! I love chocolates… especially chocolate strawberries! They're yummy! Blaine, what do you like?"_

_Blaine shrugged because he didn't think he minded one candy over another, but Cooper interrupted, "Blaine loves sweet things, just like you." Turning around when he got to a slower street, he smirked at Blaine and Kurt, shaking his head. "You two are just alike, aren't you? Kurt's a little chattier, but everything else is the same. I think you've got yourself a keeper, Blaine." He pulled into the parking lot of a little diner, and Kurt hopped out with him and ran in a circle around the car, but Blaine stayed behind for a minute._

_He wondered if his brother was right, if Kurt and him were the same. He seemed a little grumpier than Kurt, and he was shier, but now that he thought about it, he was starting to see what his brother saw. He finally fit in with someone, and not only was that person the most wonderful person Blaine had ever met, but Blaine could see himself in Kurt, and Kurt in him._

_Smiling at the thought of how much he did want to keep Kurt, he got out of the car and went over to him, meeting his shining eyes. When Blaine approached him, Kurt skipped ahead of him, happily spinning and twirling on his way to the diner. Blaine kept up with him, reaching out for him and holding onto his bow. His entire heart was right in front of him, and Blaine couldn't help but grin from ear to ear as he ran after Kurt._

_When they got their table next to a window, Kurt squished his nose against a sticker of a smiling pumpkin that was pasted on the glass. He smiled back at the pumpkin, then wrapped his arms around himself, "Holloween makes me happy." He peeped, glancing around at the orange and black decorations. He saw a fake cat on one of the tables, its back arched and hair sticking up. Clapping his hands, he shrieked, "Oh, a kitty!"_

_"You don't know the superstition of the black cat?" Cooper leaned toward him, his eyes narrowing as if he was trying to make a frightening face. To Blaine, he just looked like he needed to use the bathroom, but Kurt seemed startled by his expression when he peeked up at him. "Every Halloween, black cats become bad luck. If you see one, bad things will happen to you."_

_Kurt's eyes widened to the size of saucers, "Poor kitties! They don't mean to make people sad. I'm sure if someone would just hold it and love it, then it would be nice!"_

_Cooper burst into laughter, "Would you also say that about a flesh eating zombie?" Scrubbing Kurt's hair, he leaned back when the waiter walked over, and he ordered a root beer for himself, while Blaine got apple juice and Kurt got orange juice._

_After he came back with their drinks, he asked for the food orders, and Coop wanted the eggs with ham, while Kurt and Blaine decided to share a stack of chocolate pancakes. Blaine soon proved Coop's statement about him completely true as he shoved the warm chocolate down his throat, addicted to the sweetness._

_By the time they made it over to the store, it was almost the middle of the day, and more decorations were being set out on porches that they drove by. Most of it fascinated Kurt, who had his face pressed to the window, but some of it scared him, so he turned to Blaine and curled up against him, wanting his protection._

_The store was mostly empty, except for a few scattered shoppers in the candy aisles, so Blaine and Kurt were all alone in the small costume aisle. There weren't many choices left, but Blaine found a blue, sparkly dress that looked like it would fit Kurt. Kurt squealed when Blaine handed it to him, happily bouncing up and down. He kissed Blaine's cheek, then he tapped his chin and glanced over what was left. There were a few animal outfits, a race car driver suit, and a superman costume, but nothing that pleased Blaine._

_His brother held up a scary mask of a man with a lot of scars, "Blaine, do you want to be something scary?" When Kurt squealed at the mask, he quickly changed his mind, "Or something like…" he went through a few more costumes before pulling out a bright red nose, "a clown? You could have a flower that squirts water!"_

_Blaine rolled his eyes, not amused by his brother's lack of help. He thought he was doing it on purpose just to embarrass him in front of Kurt. For a second, he wanted his brother to wear the clown suit. Kurt patted his arm, and Blaine turned his attention to the boy who was much more help. "Blaine, would you like to be my Prince Charming?" He squeaked, pulling out a regal outfit with a blue cape on the back. "Oh, you could be so handsome!"_

_Blaine took the princely outfit from him, looking over the buttons and cuffs. He did like it, so he decided to be Kurt's prince. Before they left the store, Kurt wanted to buy a stuffed black cat, and even though Coop warned him about the bad luck again and told him Cinderella's black cat was mean, Kurt pointed his nose at the ceiling and said that he was going to give his cat so much love that it became nice again. Blaine couldn't help but grin at him as they walked side by side out of the store, amused and enthralled by Kurt and everything he did._

_When they got back to Kurt's house, Cooper went into the kitchen to make them sandwiches, and Blaine watched a movie while Kurt cooed over his cat. They ate their lunches slowly, wanting to have things to do for a few more hours. After lunch, Cooper started a game of charades, but every time he did something, Blaine always thought he looked like a ridiculous clown tumbling around. Maybe he was still resentful from earlier. Kurt enjoyed the game very much, though, and each time he seemed to be a model strutting down a runway, or a princess waiting for a prince's kiss. Blaine caught on to his favorites very quickly._

_They almost didn't want to leave the house when it got just a little darker outside, as they were having so much fun. When Cooper sent them off to get ready to leave, Kurt scurried upstairs, more than happy to change into his Cinderella dress. Blaine went into the kitchen to get their bags, and he picked the one with the witch on it. He brought Kurt's with him as he went up the stairs, pushing open Kurt's door. Kurt was sitting on his bed and pulling on a glass slipper, his dress already hanging off his shoulders._

_Blaine's jaw dropped at how beautiful he looked in the gown, the bodice tight with puffy sleeves and skirts that bloomed out like a little flower. He was so pretty that Blaine almost forgot how to speak for a moment. He struggled with putting on the shoe, the skirts hiding his feet from him, so Blaine hurried over to him. "Let me help you." He muttered, lowering to his knees and slipping the shoe onto a tiny foot. He put the other on and stared at the glistening shoes, the light catching the glass and making it shine. "Kurt, you're so pretty."_

_"Am I?" Kurt reached up to his hair, pushing a stray lock into place. He smiled down at Blaine, his cheeks pink and his dimples popped, "That's very sweet of you. Oh, Blaine, I love this dress! I feel just like a princess! If only I had my prince charming."_

_Blaine pulled away from Kurt, getting to his feet. He picked up his costume and took it with him to the bathroom, but he didn't shut the door behind himself. He didn't see much of a point after this morning. Stripping of his clothes, he yanked on the off-white slacks, followed by the stiff jacket that he had a little trouble buttoning. Before he got frustrated with the tight buttons, small hands smoothed the jacket over his chest, and Kurt worked on the buttons for him. He reached back to pin the cape into place, and when he was finished, he did feel almost princely._

_Kurt and Blaine returned to his bedroom, where he stepped into a pair of riding boots. Helping Kurt over to the door, he left him there and went back into the bedroom, grabbing the forgotten tiara in the middle of the bed. Kurt gasped at the sight of it in Blaine's fist, and he reached up to his hair. "Oh, thank you, my prince!" He said as Blaine slipped it into his hair, the gems sparkling with each way he turned his head. "I would have been so sad if I had left it here. A tiara means everything to a princess… besides her shoes." He looked down at his feet, which were hidden behind piles of ruffles. Lifting his wide eyes to Blaine again, he batted his lashes and nipped his bottom lip, "Blaine, you're so handsome. You're the perfect prince."_

_Blaine held his arm out for Kurt, and Kurt laid his hand on his forearm, letting Blaine lead him up the stairs. He gave Kurt a bag with a little fairy on it, one of his favorite things besides princesses. With the tiara and gown and gloves, Blaine really thought he looked just like a princess, his loveliness blinding to Blaine's eyes._

_After taking a few pictures of the two of them, Cooper held the door open, and Kurt skittered out with Blaine on his heels. They waited for Cooper to tell them to stay close and that they could go home if either of them got tired, but Kurt was bouncing up and down, and Coop knew that it would be quite a while before Kurt wanted to lay his head down, not when he was so excited about a holiday he'd never celebrated before._

_Taking Kurt's gloved hand in his own, Blaine walked a few feet in front of Coop, who was admiring all of the lit up decorations in the yards. Most people had gone with the usual orange and black streamers, and some cobwebs, and the occasional scarecrow. The small town that they lived in wasn't big on standing out. The sidewalks weren't crowded with hungry monsters yet, just a few little ones around Kurt and Blaine's age. Because the older kids weren't out yet, Blaine saw a lot of animal costumes like cat ears and dog whiskers, and nothing too horribly gruesome._

_Kurt seemed to be enjoying all of the sights and sounds, except for the rare thunder and screechy door soundtrack playing at someone's house. Clinging to Blaine and burying his face in his chest when he got frightened, Kurt tried to hide from the creepy noise until it was out of his ears._

_Blaine looked over his shoulder when Coop tapped him on the shoulder, and he pointed at a house a few doors down from Kurt's, "Blaine, why don't you take Kurt up to that house? Hold onto his hand, okay? I'll wait right here. Kurt, open up your bag when the person answers the door. You'll get candy."_

_Hopping up and down with a giddy noise, Kurt patted Blaine's arm, "Blaine, come get candy with me! You're cute so you'll get lots of candy!"_

_Blaine held onto Kurt as he scampered up the walkway, stepping slowly onto the porch that had a spider web hanging off the ceiling. Every few seconds, a big spider lowered and dropped from its web, almost brushing Blaine's hair. He ignored it, his eyes stuck on the older woman who looked like a housewife that had gone mad with her wild curls and the blood streaks on her cheeks. She smiled at the two of them and held out a bowl of candy, instantly cooing over Kurt's adorable dress._

_Turning away from her and feeling his cheeks heat up, Blaine wanted to duck behind Kurt and hide, just let him get the candy so they could leave sooner. He saw his brother at the end of the driveway, and Cooper gave him a huge smile and wave, then he stepped aside to let a woman carrying a baby in a bumblebee costume walk up to the porch._

_Kurt finished picking his favorite pieces of chocolate, and he tapped Blaine's elbow, "Blaine, don't you want candy? There are lots of sweets!" Slowly turning his head, Blaine stared at the bowl, but he jerked back when the woman reached over to scrub his hair. His eyes snapped up to her face, and he found her smiling down at him._

_"Well, you must be the prince." She said, and Blaine's palms got sticky as his fingers twitched. Besides Kurt's dad, he'd never gotten this much attention from someone he didn't know very well. They always focused on his dad or brother, and he wondered if she was privately judging his awkward fumbling because he was an Anderson, and Anderson's were supposed to hold their heads high. Even though his costume was regal and sleek, Blaine felt as crummy and little as a piece of dust caught in the spider's web. _

_The woman frowned at him when he took another step back, "Oh, are you a little shy? That's not very princely of you. Hold your chin up… I just want to give you some candy." Blaine pulled away from her again when she held out a lollipop, and he stumbled over one of the rails on the side of the porch._

_Whipping away from the new crowd that had gathered on the porch, all waiting to give their fussy toddlers candy, he stumbled down to the walkway. So humiliated by his own lack of voice, he stared at his shoes and tried to avoid Kurt, who was still holding his hand. The only reason he didn't run home was because of Kurt, and Blaine felt awful that he had ruined a wonderful beginning to his night._

_He was about to tell Kurt how sorry he was for choking up, but Kurt touched him again, making him bring his chin up. Kurt stopped walking and bent over his bag, digging through it for something. He held up a few pieces of chocolate, a small smile on his lips, "You can have some of my candy."_

_Blaine was shocked that Kurt wasn't mad at him or wanted to spend the rest of the night without Blaine, who only messed up his candy collecting. Instead, he put the candy in Blaine's bag, but Blaine knew he couldn't take it from Kurt. Kurt had gotten the candy for himself and deserved to enjoy every piece of chocolate, while Blaine had panicked and ran away from the offer. "That's your candy." He muttered lowly, but Kurt shook his head, looping his arms around his neck for a gentle hug._

_"I was going to share with you, anyway." Kurt said softly, kissing Blaine's cheek as if to comfort him from his anxious meltdown. Slipping his fingers through Blaine's, he skipped down the walkway and ended up on the sidewalk._

_Cooper, who must have seen the entire disaster, leaned down to smooth Blaine's wild curls, "It's okay, bud. You'll get candy at the next house. Kurt, are you happy with what you got? Let me see your bag." When Kurt proudly held up his bag for Coop to see, Coop reached in and stole a piece of candy, popping it into his mouth before Kurt could take it away._

_"That's not nice!" Kurt squeaked, stamping his little foot and putting his hands on his hips. Cooper laughed at him and stuck out his tongue, which was now blue from the color of the treat._

_Kurt seemed more eager this time to hurry up to the house and replace the candy that Cooper had stolen, but he briefly paused to shriek at the man waiting at the end of the porch, his face painted to look just like Frankenstein. Kurt was too scared to get much closer to him, as he put on the act well by hunching over and groaning and moaning at his lap. He noticed Kurt's trembling fingers pulling on him, obviously because he wanted to leave and get candy at the next house._

_Tightening his grip on Kurt, Blaine took a deep breath and moved slightly closer to the howling monster. He stole a few pieces of candy from the bucket in his green hand and gave them to Kurt, and Kurt fidgeted as he held onto the candy, his huge eyes staying on the monster. Blaine pulled him to the safety of the driveway, and the two of them ran back to his brother, who gave Kurt a hug. "Did Frankenstein startle you, little guy? He's so mean, isn't he?" Taking Kurt's quivering hand, Coop walked him to the other side of the street, "Okay, you two, how many more houses do you want to hit? We can go down this street, and maybe the one on the other side. I don't want it to get too dark."_

_Kurt scooted a little closer to Coop as he guided them toward a house with a witch that had crashed into the window. "Can we go to a house without any more monsters? They frighten me."_

_"Sure, little cutie." Coop nudged him up to the house with the witch. "Blaine, how about you take Kurt to that red house right there? The one with the ghosts in the windows."_

_Kurt seemed okay with the smiling ghosts in the windows, and he followed Blaine up to the woman waiting on the porch. She was dressed up as a witch, and she gave both of them handfuls of candy that smelled so sweet. Just wanting a little taste before he went home, Kurt reached into his bag and pulled out a piece of chocolate, nibbling on it on their way back to Coop._

_After they went to eight more houses, their bags were getting heavy and a few teenagers were starting to appear from their houses, all dressed in werewolf costumes and fangs and bloody masks, so Coop decided to take them home. Kurt was more than pleased with how the night had gone, and he was happy to have a bag of treats swinging between his palms._

_Cooper opened the door to Kurt's house, and Kurt heard the sounds of a football game from the TV in the living room, so he hurried over to his dad's recliner and told him all about his day. Burt grinned at him and scrubbed his hair when he was done chattering, "Go in there and dump your bag out on the table. Look through what you got."_

_Kurt waddled into the kitchen with Blaine on his heels, his steps much slower because his feet were tired and his bag was weighing him down. Spreading his treats out on the table, he started going through his favorites and couldn't wait to swallow two chocolate treats that had marshmallow candies mixed in. Blaine also emptied his bag, and he took a few lollipops for himself. They shared their candies with each other, as Kurt more than happily gave Blaine a few of his sweets. Cooper and Burt got a few things, too, and Cooper quickly stuck a sucker into his mouth._

_Picking up a caramel candy and unwrapping it, Blaine chewed on it until his teeth stuck together and he couldn't say bye to his brother, who bent for a kiss before he left. Once his brother was gone, Burt rubbed his son's back and said, "Alright, two candies tonight and that's it. You'll have a sugar rush if you eat anymore. Get to bed soon, honey. You're probably sleepy after today."_

_Kurt nodded a few times, giving his dad a hug before he lumbered out of the room and flipped off the light. Choosing his two treats, Kurt skipped away from the table and waited for Blaine to come with him. Both of them went down the stairs to change into warm pajamas, and Blaine was more than relieved to pull off his heavy, stiff jacket. Kurt disappeared into the bathroom and pulled on a fresh nightgown, and then he came back in and climbed onto the bed beside of Blaine._

_"I had the best day, Blaine." He whispered very quietly, curling up against Blaine. "Did you like it very much?"_

_Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt, somehow pleased despite his discomfort of approaching so many unknown people today. His dreads had quickly faded away with Kurt there to hold his hand, and he actually managed to lift his gaze to the peoples' faces. Slowly dropping his chin, he pulled the blankets up to their chins and muttered, "I liked being your prince today… even if I wasn't much of one."_

_"I thought you were wonderful." Kurt tilted his chin to kiss his jaw, then he wiggled a little. "What about our story? I haven't heard it in so long! The only thing that could make this day more perfect is if I heard Juliet and Romeo's love story."_

_Trying to remember where he last set the book, he reached over for the dresser and pulled the thick, dusty book off of it. He turned to a chapter near the end of the book, the pages they had left very narrow compared to what they'd already read through. Pressing his lips together, he thought about how he could change the ending, and he decided that he would come up with a better one when he needed to, but not right now, not when the events leading up to the end were still so unknown. "Juliet didn't see her Romeo for a very long time, and with every day she cried more tears. She escaped to see him again, knowing she might never see her parents after this. She came across his house, which was in flames, and she found him beaten and broken. She realized that his father, who she'd been warned had an outrageous temper, had hurt him again. The older Montague went after Juliet, recognizing his worst enemy in her features, but Romeo protected her. Very soon, to Juliet's surprise, her parents arrived after hunting for her, and both of them fought for her."_

_Kurt held his breath as Blaine read every word, the final battle in the entire book. He kept going, hoping he got through the chapter before Kurt fainted from a lack of air. "After Romeo's father was killed by Romeo himself, Juliet's doting parents realized his well intentions for Juliet, and they backed down on keeping them apart. But, before Romeo and Juliet could be together again, Romeo was taken away by the guards, who charged him with murder and fixed the death sentence on him. Romeo told Juliet she would be okay without him because she was strong, but Juliet still collapsed and cried that she was losing him again."_

_Blaine suddenly knew exactly why the ending was unhappy for this story, but he wouldn't let Kurt cry, so he thought of exactly how he could change it. Kurt gasped at the twist in the story, surprised at Juliet's parents. "Blaine, if Romeo is taken away from Juliet, how will they ever be together? Oh, please, I must hear the last chapter tonight. I've always promised myself to never rush a love story, but just this once?"_

_Frowning at the story, which would only get worse in the next chapter, he swallowed thickly and turned the page. He pretended to read the words, but slowly made them up one by one on his own. "Juliet's father, who had a strong name, fought for her daughter's love's freedom, and soon Romeo appeared from the prison with nothing more than a few scrapes and scratches. All of his former wounds went away when Juliet jumped into his arms, making him better. They married soon after, with Juliet's parents present, and as Juliet's father walked her up the aisle, she told him she loved him with all of her heart. He hugged her then gave her away, and Juliet and Romeo ran off together, returning every now and then to the people who had saved her and her love so long ago. They happily stayed together forever, both of them so in love with their childhood sweetheart."_

_Kurt pressed his fingertips to his lips when Blaine closed the book, and he clapped his small hands. "Oh, that's marvelous!" He chirped very quietly, still amazed by the story that Blaine had to change to get that happiness out of him. "I'm so happy for Romeo and Juliet. Thank you for reading to me, Blaine. I loved your story."_

_"I'm glad you liked it." He muttered, knowing exactly why Kurt had liked it. Putting the book aside, he bundled Kurt up tighter and stroked his soft hair. His pink cheek pressed to Blaine's chest, so flushed and round. He still had his princess charm, even though he wasn't wearing his dress anymore._

_Batting his lashes a few times as if he was falling asleep, Kurt tightened his hands on Blaine, "Will you have sweet dreams because of our love story?"_

_Blaine still didn't dream, but he didn't want to disappoint Kurt by telling him that, so he kept quiet until Kurt went limp in his arms, lulled by Blaine's gentle hand stroking him and the sound of Blaine's thudding heart._

* * *

Blaine pushed the last dresser into place, then he lifted his hands and glanced over what he'd done, from the toy box in the corner to the bed near the window, giving their children the perfect view of the splashing ocean waters. The walls were a bright yellow with some paintings of little ducks and pictures of Pavarotti and Everett hung around, and Blaine could still smell the soap in the freshly cleaned carpets. He'd laid a soft, pink rug on the floor because Kurt had said it would complement the light colors.

Turning around to see the other side of the room, Blaine found his husband still hanging tiny outfits up in the closet. He hummed as he busied his hands, putting Hunter's slightly bigger outfits on one side, and Archer's on the other. They didn't mind if they wore each other's clothes, but Hunter had grown quite a few inches that Archer had not, while Archer was wider at the hips. Walking up to his husband, he took the rest of the outfits from him and finished what he'd been doing after a few quick movements.

Smiling at him and quietly thanking him, Kurt spun around and admired what they'd spent the entire day doing, and he giddily clapped his hands. "Oh, the children will love it, won't they, Blaine?" He scampered over to the window and peeked down at their children, who were wrestling outside with Keegan. Hunter pinned Keegan down for a few seconds, until Archer ran up to him and climbed on top of him. Giggling at their silliness, he pushed the window open and called down to them. "Hunter, Archer, come up, my loves. Your daddy and I have a surprise for you."

Leaning against the wall, Blaine crossed his arms over his chest, pleased with what he'd done for his children, but still exhausted. His hands hurt because Kurt wasn't strong enough to push furniture around, but he'd gotten a little help from Keegan, who sent Kurt down to distract the children while he heaved furniture around with Blaine. He was also smothered in yellow paint and carpet cleaner from his head to his toes, and he desperately needed a shower. He would do that after he saw the shocked looks on their little faces, because he wouldn't miss that for the world.

Within seconds, he heard their screeching and squealing as they thudded up the stairs. They had known all along that they were going to get something special, but they had no idea what. Hunter burst into the room first, going headfirst into the door, and he stopped in the middle of his new bedroom. He hopped up and down and turned to Archer, who had frozen in the doorway. The two of them shrieked again, almost deafening Blaine, and Kurt laughed when Hunter charged over to him and hugged his legs.

"Is this for me?" Archer asked unsurely, his huge eyes flicking around the room. They stopped on his toy box and he yelped, flinging himself over to it. He flipped open the top and dug through it for one of his baby dolls, and he squeezed her to his chest.

Going over to his son, Blaine knelt down beside of him and pulled him into his arms, glad that he had turned something ugly into something that could be wonderful. "This is all for you, my little one. You can play in here all you want. Your _père_ and I will be in that room right there, and you and Hunter can snuggle in here when it's time to go to sleep. Do you like it, baby?"

"It's my favorite room I've ever slept in!" Archer yelled, wiggling from Blaine's grip and hurrying over to Hunter. He couldn't stop in time and the two of them knocked their heads, but then they just kept cheering.

Feeling a soft touch on his shoulder, Blaine glimpsed up at his husband. He laid his hand over his and squeezed so lightly, breathing out deeply because he was so relieved they loved their room. He watched them almost climb into their toy box and pull out their favorites, then scurry over to the bed and jump onto it. They played and jumped and shouted, and Blaine wondered how he could be happier with every day that he spent with his new family.

Grinning at his children, he turned his head and kissed Kurt's hand, murmuring against his yellow splattered fingers, "I love you." Kurt understood why he had said it at that moment, and he bent down to kiss the top of Blaine's head.

When Keegan arrived at the top of the stairs, Hunter held up his hand and waved him away, "Look, Archer, it's Captain Hook! He's come to steal our treasures!" Most of his words were broken and not easy to understand, but Blaine still laughed at him. He was surprised when Hunter leapt off the bed and held up his hand like a sword, while Keegan curled one of his hands to look like a hook.

Archer huddled down on the bed, gathering his toys around him, "I'll guard the treasures, Peter!" He squeaked, even though Hunter was already in battle with Keegan and probably didn't hear him over all of his shouting and grunting.

Hunter jabbed his hand at Keegan's stomach, and Keegan grabbed the area and yelped as if in pain. He slowly crumbled to the ground, falling on top of Hunter, who screeched and kicked under his huge body. "No! Down I go! Hook's got me, Wendy!"

Just as Hunter was about to roll over and die, Keegan lifted his chest and pulled Hunter's face closer to his, smothering him in kisses. Hunter yelled at the kisses and kept struggling, "I'm all wet! I must be drowning!"

"Not Peter Pan!" Archer cried, his bottom lip puckering. When Hunter fell backwards and closed his eyes, Archer wiped his eye, "Poor Peter Pan. Daddy, can you make Peter come back to life? I miss him."

Blaine smirked at his son, slowly getting to his feet. He went over to Hunter and swung him up into his arms, then he flipped him upside down and tickled his stomach, making him snort with laughter. Archer patted his fingertips together, "Peter! You're alive!" Pouting again, Archer crossed his arms over his chest, "Can we celebrate Peter coming back to life by having lunch? Captain Hook called me a Wendy Bird and shot cannons at me! Running away made me hungry."

"My poor, little bird." Blaine cooed over his son, chuckling when he wrinkled his freckled nose. Picking Archer up and holding him in his free arm, Blaine carried his children into the hallway, "Sure, baby. I'm a little hungry, too. What do you want for lunch?"

"Tomato soup!" Hunter yelled, wriggling around in Blaine's arms and reaching out for Keegan. Keegan took him from Blaine and draped him over his shoulder, rubbing his back.

"I'll make you whatever you like." Kurt told him when they got downstairs, and he walked into the kitchen with the birds trotting after him, hoping for some small bites of food. They always got them, the two spoiled birds.

Blaine and Keegan set the babies down to play and teeter around while dinner was heating up, and Blaine sat down on the couch, watching out for them as they held up their little dolls and teddy bears. Keegan remained standing by the kitchen door, unsure of what to do now that his translator was out of the room.

Glancing up at Keegan, who was slowly getting better with his English, Blaine thought about what was coming up next week. He knew he had to bring it up to Keegan, so he slowly muttered his name. Keegan's turquoise eyes flickered over to him, and he said in a low voice, "Yes?"

His accent was so thick that Blaine almost didn't understand that simple word, but he kept going, "I… I'm going to work—" When Keegan's blank expression didn't change, he rubbed his forehead, wondering how to tell him. "I work for the Warblers." One of Keegan's brows raised, so he assumed he got the majority of it. "Do you want… to work with me?"

Keegan didn't understand again, and he looked down at his feet. He said something in French, then he jerked his head up again. "Work… at Warblers… with you? I… do what there?"

Blaine shook his head because he hadn't brought this up with the Warblers yet. He had no idea what job they would let Keegan do, but he knew they wouldn't look down on him for his lack of English. "I don't know. What do you… want to do?" He hadn't considered that Keegan could sing yet, so he touched his neck, trying to show him what he was saying. "Do you sing?"

Keegan raised his brows as if startled by the question, "I don't know. I never tried. I work with you… what happens to Kurt and babies?"

His eyes narrowed as he wondered what he meant by what would happen to Kurt and the babies, then he realized what he was trying to ask. "I'll take them with us… every day. Kurt loves the Warblers."

Keegan nodded, slowly catching on to what Blaine was saying. "Okay." Lifting his turquoise eyes to Blaine's face, Keegan gave him a small smile before he turned toward the kitchen, "_Merci_ _pour tout._"

Blaine turned away and watched his children again, both of them scurrying around and playing Peter Pan again. Hunter was teaching a flailing Archer how to fly with pixie dust, and Blaine smiled at both of them. He hoped they always dreamed.


	15. Royals

Author's note: Hi, guys! I sort of wrote you a Keegan chapter... but it's kind of from Blaine's point of view, I guess. I don't know if I like it, but my Beta gave me her approval. I'll take her word for it because she's amazing and I love her and we have great discussions about Powerpuff Girls. So, I've been sick for what seems like two weeks now, and I had a driving class on Saturday, which only made my illness worse. I wrote this while I was coughing and felt terrible and was half asleep, so I really hope you guys like it, anyway. I'm planning on my next chapter being another Keegan chapter, and maybe some of baby!Hunter. Just to give you guys another spoiler, Keegan will have a child one day. He will adopt someone, and you already know this character, but Keegan will be a dad! So, yay Keegan. But, I want to give you guys a quick update on my life just so you know when to expect chapters. I have a few more driving classes over the next couple of weekends, and my brother is coming home on Friday, which means that I'll be doing something every day, and I have to babysit tomorrow, and I have two school projects that are worth about two hundred points that I have to do this week. Instead of forcing out a chapter like I did with this one and regretting it because it sounds awkward, I think I want to spend some time revising Out. I won't take another three month hiatus (I promise) but just during those days when I'm busy, I think I'll just look over Out and do some editing. So, yeah, that's the schedule I'm dealing with. It shouldn't be long before my next chapter, but it might take a few days. Okay, I'm done now. Once again, I hope you guys enjoy! :)

kathrynevie21: Thanks so much! I'm happy to say that he's out of the hospital and completely back to normal, and I think I'm over my sickness. I catch something at least once a week :P If you ever want to talk about what's going on, I wouldn't mind reading a really long review :) But I understand what you mean, even though I don't know exactly what you're going through. My OCD seems to be getting worse every day, and I'm honestly terrified of what I'm going to be like ten years from now because of it. But, anyway, I loved writing my last chapter! I thought it was cute and adorable, even though I realized I didn't even make them carve pumpkins! How could I have forgotten that? :O But, anyway, I'm looking forward to the babies reading Cinderella! I picked it because it foreshadows something else in my story. And your review just reminded me to mention the answers to your questions, but I basically want all of your ideas to happen :) Disneyland would just... oh my gosh... cute explosion. So, yes, Disneyland.

ObsessiveGleeSyndrome: It's no big deal! I'm happy you're back! :D I totally get it... not about the show rehearsals (unfortunately I'm not talented in that area :( ) but about the school work. Let me know how your rehearsals go! Are you going for a school play? Aww, I'm so happy that you're proud! I'm pretty proud of it, too. My characters are so precious to me :P I loved the Halloween part! The reviewer above this ^ suggested it, and it was just a brilliant idea :) And, yeah, I really like Keegan and Blaine's friendship :) Blaine's such a good friend! Thanks so much!

I almost forgot to put this in, but then I read over my reviews again and it reminded me that I've decided on a lot of new stuff for this story. So, I am going to write the series with Keegan and Everett's story after this (they really need a couple's name), and then Karofsky's, and then Hunter and Archer's, which will kind of conclude everything, anyway. I've decided on the title Better for Everett and Keegan's story, but I'm still unsure about Karofsky's, so if you have ideas of a title, let me know! I was thinking Cough Syrup because of what happened in the show when Blaine was singing that song, but I still really don't know. Okay, one more thing before I finish this freakishly long author's note. kathrynevie21 asked me to make either baby!Klaine or baby!Harcher go to Disneyland, and I like the idea of Blaine and Kurt taking their children. Because this is such a big idea and there's a lot to do in Disneyland, I was hoping you guys could give me some suggestions of your favorite things to do there. I've never been there, but I have been to Disney World, but I'm guessing they're a lot alike? I don't know, I'll be doing a lot of research, but that just seems fun to me! I'll probably want to focus on a lot of the classic Disney characters and rides, but just let me know if you want to see something specific in their Disney vacation :)

* * *

_Blaine pressed his hollow cheek to the cold window, his lip curling as he dragged his face down the glass. A circle of fog blew out of his mouth, clouding his vision of Kurt's little house on the corner of the street. Sinking down to the window sill, he sat down and pulled his knees to his chest. He wondered what Kurt was doing, if he was thinking about him, wanting him to come over that very second. He wanted to know if he had his nose squished against his own window, watching for Blaine with those big eyes of his. Blaine longed to escape his dull home and visit him, but his dad wouldn't let him out the door without knowing where he was going._

_Wrapping his arms around himself and tightening his jacket, he peeled off the cool glass and turned away. He heard someone—probably his brother—in the bathroom down the hall, and Blaine hoped he would come in soon to talk to him. Swinging his legs off the sill, he wandered around his room without anything to do. He remembered the first day his boring town had changed, when a few other boys had lived a couple of streets away. They'd run down Blaine's street with their hands flinging and heads thrown back with laughter, and Blaine had become very excited at the thought of finally making friends._

_He'd grabbed his coat and barely had one arm in a sleeve before he burst through his door. Of course, his enthusiasm had quickly changed when they could see him, and he'd pulled back and scuffed at the ground with his shoe. He had wanted them to make the first move and approach him, and a few of them did glance his way, but then they'd looked away without much interest. Blaine had quickly disappeared back inside his house and watched them from his window until they went home. He'd been disappointed with himself for not being brave enough to talk to them, but he'd assured himself he'd do it the next day._

_They'd come back with a few other boys, and Blaine was just as nervous, but he'd made a promise to himself, and he didn't break promises. After a moment of telling himself that everything was going to be okay, he'd walked up to them and murmured a quiet greeting. A couple of the boys had glanced at him and then back at each other, and then at Blaine again. One of the boys had pulled the others closer, muttering loudly enough for Blaine to hear clearly, _"That's Mr. Anderson's freaky son. I think he has issues."

_Blaine was so shocked and upset that he couldn't even get away from the judgmental glares and grumbles from kids his own age that he'd darted back into his house and went into Cooper's room. He'd wrapped his arms around Coop's legs and cried because he knew that no one would ever like him. Thinking about Kurt waiting for him in his little house made him happy. He wanted to make him just as happy and read him another story, so he distracted himself from his past and considered which book he liked best._

_He didn't have many because his parents bought him lots of toy cars and balls and action figures, but he decided to look through the ones that he did have. Going over to his closet, he dug out his toy box and searched through it, finding three story books near the bottom. He remembered when Cooper used to read to him when he was just a baby, and he wondered if he ever read these books to him._

_Spreading his choices out on the floor, he pushed The Ugly Duckling aside, knowing that most of that story would make Kurt sad, even though the ending was good. He had to pick between Cinderella and The Little Mermaid, but he slightly favored Cinderella because she was so kind and strong, while Blaine was a whimpering mess who always hid in whatever corner he could find. He aspired to be like her, but he knew he never could be._

_Grabbing the book and squeezing it to his chest, he perked up when he heard footsteps clunking down the hallway. He just knew it was his brother coming to play with him until he could go over to Kurt's house, so he scrambled to his feet and hurried over to the door. He slumped his shoulders when he saw Cooper approach his door, but then he turned and went down the stairs, taking them two at a time. Blaine figured that maybe his brother thought he was somewhere else in the house, so he chased after him._

_His legs were much shorter than Coop's, so by the time he got to the bottom of the stairs, his brother was already gone. Hunting for him, Blaine whipped around when a door creaked somewhere nearby. He followed the sound to his dad's office, where his dad had secluded himself for hours with his head bent over his paperwork. Blaine stopped outside the office because he wasn't allowed in there, but he stared at Coop, who was rubbing his neck and glaring down at their dad as if he was frustrated. It seemed like they had already exchanged words, maybe a brief greeting that Blaine hadn't heard, because Cooper said lowly, "Dad, this has got to stop. I can't be here all the time to look out for him. I don't even have time for school with my new hours."_

_Blaine lowered his head as he worried if they were discussing him, maybe even complaining about him. He had heard something about Coop's upcoming eighteenth birthday, and how he could start working full-time whenever he wanted because he wasn't a minor anymore. Blaine hoped he didn't spend all of his time away from home. His dad's slim face lifted for a few seconds from a document he'd been mulling over, and then he dropped his eyes again. He obviously wasn't interested in what Coop was saying, but at least he hadn't kicked him out like he often did to Blaine. "If he had friends, he wouldn't need me." That was more words than Blaine had heard from his dad in weeks, and he realized that he'd almost forgotten what his dad's deep, gravelly voice sounded like. He thought about Kurt's dad, how he expressed some emotion with his easily excitable son, his voice amused and happy whenever he spoke to him. He wondered why his own dad's voice didn't have any emotion at all._

_Cooper's voice raised, bringing Blaine back to reality, "He's shy, Dad! Why don't you understand that he's a little different from you? He's only five years old… he's still a baby. If he had your encouragement, he might get the confidence to talk to other kids."_

_"When you were five, you didn't have this problem." That was all his dad put in, then he added after a moment of scratching his stubbly chin, "Dammit, Cooper, when I was his age, I didn't even know my dad. Do you think I let it bother me? No, not at all. I stuck my chin out and got through it. If you go on coddling him the way you do, he'll become nothing. When he's thirty, he'll come blubbering to you that he went nowhere."_

_"That's not going to happen. Blaine's strong." Cooper said in a warning tone, his jaw hardening, "I get it… you raised me to turn my cheek from trouble and get over it, but I was different than Blaine when I was his age. My mouth was too big and I let things roll off my back. Blaine never has… he keeps these things, and if you abandon him, that'll stay with him. You have to be there for him, Dad… just play with him for an hour or two. He needs you."_

_Blaine's jaw dropped when something flashed in his dad's eyes, and he wondered if Cooper had changed his mind, even about Kurt. His dad was stubborn, just like Blaine, so he knew it would take a lot for him to admit that he'd been wrong, but Blaine knew that if anyone could convince him, it was Cooper. He was good at getting his way. Blaine put one foot through the door and waited for his dad to bend down and hold his arms out to give him a hug. He would eagerly fling his arms around his dad, then he would tell him to wait there so he could get Kurt, and Blaine and Kurt would play happily by his dad's feet._

_But Blaine's dreams of his dad finally accepting that he wasn't like the rest of his family were ruined the second his dad's eyes snapped over to him. They narrowed, and then a brown hand lifted, and his dad snapped his fingers at him. "Blaine, I've told you a thousand times, don't come in here."_

_Blaine's eyes widened to the size of saucers, and at first he thought he'd imagined his dad saying that because he always expected it to come if he made the mistake of walking into his office. But his dad really was angry with him, from his lowered brows to his frowning lips. Feeling his eyes swell because he still couldn't be near his dad, and he would still be looked at by his family and people he didn't even know like something they had yanked off the bottom of their shoes, and he still had to keep Kurt a secret, Blaine stumbled backwards, clumsily fumbling to get out so he could please his dad. His dad's aggravated expression turned back into one of weariness when Blaine fell out of his office. Blaine burst into tears because that was all his dad would ever want from him, to stay out of his way and not bother him, and he ran away from the office. He heard Coop yell after him, but he ignored him, climbing up the stairs two at a time, even though he tripped quite a few times and fell to his hands and knees._

_When he got to his room, he slammed the door shut and flopped onto his bed. He squirmed up to the pillows and covered himself with one of them, his body so small that he disappeared completely under the pile of fluff. His shoulders shook with tears he couldn't keep in anymore, after so long of trying to be strong. Snorting very noisily as he heard his door push open, Blaine winced at the embarrassing sound and hoped that whoever had come in hadn't heard that._

_"Blaine…" He flipped over at the sound of Cooper's low voice, not wanting his brother to see him with a red face and a snotty nose. "Blaine… baby… it's just me." Pressing his face into his blankets when his brother pulled the pillow off of him, he grumbled very lowly and kicked at him. Cooper caught his feet in one hand and laid them back down, then he slid his arms under Blaine. Blaine didn't bother fighting as Cooper laid him down on his lap, his head lulling against his stomach. Cooper was very skinny and tall, so his bony chest wasn't very comfortable under Blaine's cheek. "Shh… he didn't mean anything he said. He loves you… he does. He's just not good at showing it."_

_Cooper wiped Blaine's nose and cheeks, frowning when Blaine hiccupped from the sudden rush of tears. Sniffling again, Blaine held his hands in front of his face, blocking Cooper out so he couldn't see his emotions, "Why doesn't he like me? What did I do wrong?" Blaine mumbled, feeling stupid for asking because he felt like he was expected to know. But he really didn't understand why his dad had never met his eyes, since he'd always tried to be a good son who followed the rules and knew his table manners._

_"Blaine…" Cooper breathed out heavily, gently patting Blaine's butt. He closed his eyes and thought for a few seconds, then he muttered, "you didn't do anything wrong. Not a thing. If only you understood. You will… one day. You're the best brother I could have asked for… and Dad… he just doesn't know what a good thing he has. He's too hard headed."_

_Blaine felt like a small child again, curled up in his brother's arms and slowly getting rocked back and forth like a sleepy baby. Blinking up at his brother's tired face, Blaine squirmed a little closer to him, feeling him shift a little when he reached for the book on the end of Blaine's bed. He smiled at the book, "I remember when you used to crawl into my bed and hold out this story. You'd always fall asleep when it got to the good part."_

_Blaine was helpless in his brother's arms, but he didn't care because he was safe against his chest. Nothing could hurt him when he was in his protective arms. "Can you read to me like you did when I was a baby?"_

_"You're still a baby." Cooper chuckled at him, kissing his wet cheek. "You've just… grown up too fast." Leaning back on the headboard, Coop shifted Blaine around and smoothed his damp hair off his cheeks. He pressed a kiss to the top of his head, "Do you want me to take you over to Kurt's house later? After Dad goes back to work? You don't like being away from him, do you?"_

_Blaine shook his head and stared at the book as Coop opened it, seeing a picture of Cinderella's prince on the page that Coop had flipped to. He looked so in control of his emotions, while it didn't take much to send Blaine into a fit. Cooper must have noticed him staring at the prince because he tightened his arm around him, startling him from his vague mind. "You know, one day you're going to be a prince. You already have your princess."_

_Blaine frowned up at his brother, wondering how he sounded so sure that the invisible boy who had very little could become a prince who had everything._

* * *

Blaine stopped his car by the recording studio, his fingers tight on the steering wheel and his eyes searching through the glass walls. Just like the first day he'd ever been there, he could see a few men around his age sitting around the desk and chatting over coffee, while others were rushing around with their hands full of papers. It was a familiar sight that Blaine had quickly gotten used to, ducking between the hurried people who could easily slam into him, and giving a small smile to the ones talking because they usually waved at him. Even though his work was the same, Blaine didn't feel the same at all.

He'd first met the Warblers when he was only eighteen years old, and he and Kurt had just secretly started dating. He'd been out of control back then—and he still was—but things were different now. After fighting and suffering and crying, he'd become a husband and a dad, and he realized that over the past two years, the Warblers had never left him. They had always been there for him, even when he refused to let anyone get close to him after he thought Kurt had left him.

Pressing his lips together as he wondered if they knew how grateful he was, he glanced over when he felt a pat on his thigh, and he stared at Kurt. Kurt gave him a gentle smile as if he understood exactly what Blaine was thinking, and Blaine leaned over to nuzzle him before he stepped out of his car. He walked around the car to help Kurt out, his eyes sliding to the back door when it popped open.

Keegan got out and bent down for the babies, picking Hunter up in one arm and draping him over his shoulder. Hunter had fallen asleep during the car ride, so his little head drooped and his mouth swung open. He pulled Archer out next, and Archer waved his pudgy fists at Blaine. Taking his baby from Keegan, Blaine smoothed his curls and kissed his forehead. While his husband reached in the back seat for his birds, Blaine pointed at the tall building, "Baby, do you remember this place?" When Archer tapped his chin and considered the building with a blank expression, Blaine muttered, "Daddy works here, little one. I used to bring you and Hunter in a carrier. All of the Warblers wanted to hold you because they thought you were cute."

Kurt put Pavarotti and Everett on his shoulder, the two birds swaying from side to side as he walked over to Blaine, reaching out for his hand. Blaine led his family into the recording studio, glimpsing over his shoulder to make sure that Keegan was following. He was a few inches behind them, his steps slow and heavy. His eyes darted to every sign he passed, desperately trying to read the words. He gave up and turned his attention to Hunter, gently bouncing the baby and burying his face in his dark hair.

Frowning at him, Blaine wished he knew how to tell him that he was okay here. He turned a hallway and walked over to one of the doors, listening for the sounds of their yelling. He'd gotten so used to their noisiness that he didn't jump when he heard a crash from behind the door. Slowly pushing it open, Blaine looked inside at the guys sitting in a few chairs, and then down at Nick and Trent, who were tangled around each other on the floor.

"Hey, Blaine's back!" Thad looked up from the fry he'd been munching on, and he threw a hand up and waved at Blaine. "And he brought Kurt!"

Kurt hopped up and down at the excitement, then he scurried over to Jeff, who he seemed to enjoy spending time with. Archer fussed in Blaine's arms, wanting to go after him, so Blaine set him down. Waddling over to Kurt, Archer jumped when Nick scrambled to his feet and chased after him. "And he brought babies! I want one!"

Archer obviously didn't remember him, but he didn't squirm when Nick snatched him up and squeezed him like a little doll.

Smirking at his frowning son as Nick cuddled and shook him, Blaine stepped over a few feet to get to the computer, where Wes was sitting by himself. He lowered onto the seat beside him, feeling his hand come to his back and pat a few times. "It's been a while, Blaine. How are you doing? How's it feel to be a husband?"

A small smile tugged at Blaine's lips, and his eyes flicked to Kurt, who was showing off his wedding ring to Jeff. Kurt seemed very enthusiastic about it, his fingertips hiding a pretty smile and his eyes sparkling. Jeff's mouth fell open at whatever Kurt was saying, and then they both laughed. Blaine held his breath at the sight of Kurt's little nose wrinkling and his cheeks brightening. "I'm fine," was all Blaine said, and Wes squeezed his shoulder.

"I know you are." Wes told him, then he spun back to the computer and typed something.

Blaine's brows raised when someone—he thought it was Nick—shouted, "Who's the new guy? Hey, Blaine, is Blondie with you?"

Turning his head, Blaine sighed at Keegan, who was still stuck in the doorway. His wide eyes flashed from person to person, and Blaine remembered how he felt the first time he'd come in here and asked for a job. He could only guess that it was worse for Keegan, who had no idea what they were saying about him. Kurt said something to Keegan that Blaine couldn't understand, and then he told the other Warblers that Keegan was his best friend.

Blaine rubbed the nape of his neck and watched Keegan walk across the room to stand beside of Kurt. He was still coming up with some way he could talk to Wes about this. Looking over his shoulder, he said very lowly, "Wes, I need to talk to you."

"I figured you would." Wes didn't even blink, as if he had been expecting this. Blaine was bothered by how easily people could read him, when he usually tried so hard to keep his thoughts off of his face. Closing the document he'd been reading over, he turned to Blaine and nodded at the door. "Do you want to talk in the hallway?"

Scratching his stubbly jaw, Blaine twisted around so he faced the other Warblers again, a few of them staring at Blaine and Wes. Blaine figured that it would be better to speak to Wes in private, even though Keegan couldn't understand them, anyway. Getting to his feet when Wes stood up, Blaine followed on his heels, but he paused by his husband. Kurt looked very curious about what he was doing, but he soothed him with a soft kiss. "I'll be back in a minute, honey."

"Okay." Kurt peeped, reaching up for his face and stroking him.

When Blaine lifted his eyes to Keegan's screwed up face, he saw him uncomfortably shift from foot to foot. One arm folded over his chest, the other still clutching Hunter. Keegan was aware that Blaine and Wes were going to talk about him, and Blaine assumed that he was nervous because he didn't know if Wes would roll his eyes at his lack of English.

Blaine slipped out of the door, and Wes shut it behind him, giving the other Warblers a warning glare that he could still hear everything they were doing. Leaning against the door, Wes crossed his arms over his chest and raised his brows at Blaine, "This is the first time I've felt clueless about you, Blaine." That statement made Blaine uncomfortable, but this wasn't about him right now. "Who is this guy and what does he have to do with you?"

"He's an old friend of Kurt's." Blaine said very quietly, as if afraid that Keegan would somehow hear him above the yelling, but also understand him. "I've never asked anything of you, Wes, but I need you to give him a job… something to do. He doesn't have any money… and he's living with me and Kurt right now, but he could go back to France whenever he wanted."

Wes's brows lowered as if he was considering something, his head slowly nodding to something Blaine had said, "He's from France? That's how he knows Kurt?"

Blaine dropped his chin a few times, "Wes… he doesn't have anything. He lives next to an alley… and he doesn't have much of a house." Shaking his head, he continued very lowly, almost hoping Wes didn't hear him, "I don't know if he had a job… before…"

Wes's face changed with Blaine's hanging words, and he urged him, "Before what?"

Taking a deep breath, he lifted his hand and dragged it through his hair, "His boyfriend was murdered seven years ago. I don't know if he had a job before that… but he was only seventeen. It couldn't have been a job that made a lot of money."

Without making any sounds of shock or regret, Wes nodded again, agreeing with another thing, "And his parents?"

"They died." Blaine's voice was flat, but he could feel his throat shaking. Keegan's past was hard for Blaine to think about because he had always seemed too perfect to Blaine. He'd tried for so long to believe that bad things didn't happen to perfect people like Kurt or Keegan, but he'd been the cause of most of Kurt's pain, and Keegan had lost everything when he was very young.

"Okay." That was the only word Wes said for what felt like a few minutes, and then he managed to get out, "He doesn't know any English, does he?"

"He's been working with Kurt to learn." Blaine felt like he had to defend Keegan, who he often found pacing through the living room and mouthing English words, or sitting beside of Kurt and speaking to him in very garbled English.

Seconds that dragged on like hours passed before Wes made another sound, his mouth opening and closing as he went over what little he knew about Keegan. Blaine realized that he didn't know anything about Keegan, either, just that he came from nothing and had only memories of having everything. His heart was Kurt now, but Blaine wanted to know what had made him happy before the murder. Blaine could see him kissing his boyfriend every day, wrapping his arms around him from behind and surprising him. He saw Keegan leaning closer to whisper something in Everett's ear, just a little joke that made him snort with laughter. He wondered if they used to lay in bed together and stare at each other, like he and Kurt did, or if they held hands just to feel each other's warmth.

Keegan, who had always been protective of Kurt and Everett, had probably thrown his head back and been carefree on the night that had changed everything. He was certain that nothing bad could happen because he was going to propose to Everett later that night, just to make sure he knew he loved him enough to keep him forever. They had chased each other down an alleyway because Keegan wanted to get home sooner so he could tell Everett how much he loved him, and Everett had wanted to get lost with Keegan, his only hope.

Blaine's visions of Everett, the boy he had never seen and never would see, suddenly turned black because there was nothing else to see. The murder had ended everything, and it had destroyed all that Keegan's future might have been. Closing his eyes to get those images out of his head, Blaine jerked up at the feeling of someone's hand on his arm. Wes gazed at him with dull eyes, as if he could read Blaine's thoughts, "I don't know what he wants to do… if he would be good at anything here… but tell him that he's fine." Wes spun on his heel and he thudded away from Blaine, rubbing his forehead to get rid of a headache.

Blowing out with relief, Blaine pressed his lips together as he pushed back into the room. Nick was on the floor with Archer and playing a game with him, so Blaine stepped around them to get over to his husband and Keegan. Keegan still held Hunter, who had stirred, close to his body, looking at the baby as he poked his fingers at his face and drew invisible pictures on him. Pressing a kiss to Hunter's fingers, Keegan glanced at Blaine, his eyes wide with uncertainty. "It is… okay?"

Blaine nodded, resting against a wall and letting Kurt take one of his dangling hands. Kurt played with his fingers, wiggling and tickling them. "You'll be okay here, Keegan." He said lowly, biting his bottom lip and watching Keegan's expression change. He tilted his head toward Hunter, his blond hair falling around his cheeks, and he gave him another kiss. His turquoise eyes were so warm and soft. "Keegan…" Clearing his throat, he waited for Keegan to lift his gaze again. "How did you… meet Everett?"

To his surprise, not only did Keegan understand what he was asking, but a smile curved his pink lips. Blaine had been worried about upsetting him, but he seemed to be remembering something happy, a small chuckle escaping his mouth. "I… take…" He bent his neck to see Kurt, needing him to help him through the words. When Kurt mouthed something, he corrected himself, "I… took… Kurt… to café. We went every day… but I saw Everett this day. I thought he is…" He shook his head and waited for Kurt to tell him what to say. "I thought… he was beautiful… and I would not leave him alone." He started laughing at some memory that Blaine wasn't a part of, even though he wished he was. He would have wanted to see a love like Keegan's. "He didn't like me… at first… but I wanted to have him. It didn't take… much long… _very_ long for me to fall madly in love with him."

Smiling up at Keegan as he closed his eyes and probably imagined the day over again, the thrill of finding someone he knew he would fall in love with, and teasing with him until he broke through the stubborn boy's cold heart, Blaine slid his fingers through Kurt's and squeezed his palm. He felt tears fill the corners of his eyes, not just because he knew how he would feel if he had something so precious ripped out of his life, but because he was glad Keegan had found his true love, if only for a little while. Abruptly curious about what Keegan thought of Everett, Blaine said very slowly, "Why did you… love him, Keegan?"

"Oh, I love these stories." Kurt chirped very softly, his eyes shining as he reached for Keegan's hand. "He could tell them all day." When Keegan grinned down at him, Kurt wiggled to the edge of his chair, very excited to hear him talk about their old friend.

"I did not have… a reason not to." Keegan shrugged his shoulders, a spot of wetness rolling down his cheek and catching on his bottom lip. The tear quivered on his trembling mouth, the corners pulling up and down, "He was my… everything. He was so… challenging… but I loved how strong he… was. I love… loved his red hair… and his brown eyes. He think… they were too dark, but they always spark… sparkled to me. He called himself chubby… so many time… but he never was. He was gorgeous… to me." Nipping his bottom lip, Keegan shook his head again and muttered, "The way… you feel for Kurt… is how I feel for Evie."

Hunter lifted his head from Keegan's neck and blinked a few times, "Daddy…" he said through a sleepy voice, "who's Evie?"

While Keegan gave Hunter more kisses, Blaine leaned back in his chair and sighed very heavily, "Evie was a good friend of your Uncle Keegan. They were in love, sweetheart, but…" It almost shocked Blaine to consider that it was Hunter's real dad who had killed Everett, since he'd thought of Hunter as his own baby for a long time. He had no idea if Keegan knew that he was holding the son of the man who had killed his boyfriend. "But… Everett's not here anymore, my little one. He would have loved you, though."

Keegan dropped his chin to assure Hunter of what Blaine had said, "He would… loved you so much, Hunt. As much as me." Patting Hunter's bottom, Keegan pressed his face into Hunter's hair, his lids drooping over wet eyes. "Evie would loved you so much, Hunter."


	16. AN

Author's note: Hey, guys. I just wanted to let everyone know that despite my last author's note, which stated that I wouldn't do this, I'm going to be taking a hiatus for a while. I'll still answer PMs and will be getting on FanFiction, and during this time I'll probably be revising Out a little more. If you're wondering why I won't be updating Courage, it's because my OCD has gotten completely out of control. I can't even focus on my writing anymore, and I feel like if I take some time to work on my OCD, I'll be able to write a lot more. I'll be back by December or maybe sooner, and I'll probably take some time off of school to do some extra writing to make up for this. Until then, I'll miss you guys! I am really sorry about this.


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